A New Order
by Nik0laiCarpathia
Summary: With the power of the Force and two teachers, one boy will shake the foundations of history and reforge it in his image. Aided by an army of strange humanoids and frightening technology, he will lead a revolution. Light Side Naruto
1. Confusion

**A New Order : Confusion**

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

_A/N: __This is a story that I have been thinking on for quite a while now, but only recently got around to writing. More notes at the end of the chapter._

* * *

Naruto awoke slowly, to a rhythmic rocking sensation. The heavy pounding of his pulse made his vision waver as his head ached. Though his eyes were open, he was unresponsive to everything around him. Stray thoughts flitted across his mind, though none seemed to want to stay in place long enough for him to focus on. In an attempt to soothe his migraine, he focused on the steady motions. Back and forth, back and forth. The gentle wind blew across his face, cooling his flushed skin.

When he finally felt up to the task of thinking, he tried to piece together the fragments that composed his memory.

'Where am I? How did I get here? Alright, the last thing I remember was...taking the exam, and I think I...failed? Aw man! After that I went to get some food. Me and Iruka ate, and talked about my problem, then he had to leave to do something. After that I was hanging out on the Monument when Mizuki came up and started talking to me. What... what did he say? I can't..."

He let out a moan as a cold spike of pain stabbed at him, and it apparently got the attention of whoever was carrying him because they stopped.

"**Query: **Are we finally awake?"

Naruto rolled over in the hard arms that held him, to look up at the face of his captor. His face betrayed his confusion, as he examined the face above him.

"We are not sure. Are we... red?"

"**Amused response: **Yes."

Naruto glanced around bewildered.

"Then we are awake. But we are _very _confused."

The... thing, made a strange sound that might have been a laugh, before setting him on unsteady feet.

"**Statement:** Then that is fortunate. I was beginning to worry that you had been more damaged than I had anticipated."

Naruto looked up at the being with eyes wide. Right before him was one of the weirdest things he had ever seen. It was pretty tall, at least six foot and its skin was a dark, rust red metal. The head was rounded with glowing yellow eyes that would brighten and dimly alternately. It's voice had a strange quality to it, as though being played through speakers, and reminded him of the computers he had seen around the village.

"Who-... what are you?"

"**Answer:** My designation is HK-47, young master. I am a protocol Droid built and programmed to serve my Master."

"Am I alive?"

"**Answer:** Yes, young master."

"Where am I? How did I get here? What have you done to me?"

"**Placating response**: You are currently in Training Ground 44, known affectionately to the locals as the 'Forest of Death'. I have been ordered to bring you to my Master, who lives in the center of this forest. We have been watching for some time now, and my Master feels it is time for you to join us. **Urging Query:** So, shall we go young master? We need to return to my Master before he becomes impatient. I fear we are already behind schedule."

Naruto still looked skeptical.

"How did I get here?"

"**Answer: **You had been attacked, and I interfered on behalf of my Master."

"Who is your Master?"

"**Challenge**: Come with me and you'll find out."

"You really think I'm going to come with you? You're insane! How do I know you haven't just kidnapped me?"

"**Rhetorical: **If I had gone through the trouble of rendering you unconscious and kidnapping you, why would I ask you to follow me? I would have simply injected you with an anesthesia and carried you the rest of the way."

Naruto stared at the Droid for a couple of minutes,despite everything, he did have a point. A quiet voice within him told him that following the strange being standing before him was the right thing to do, despite his common sense calling him an idiot for even considering the idea. After a long moment of hard debate he nodded carefully. After all, what was the worst that could happen?

"Is it far?"

"**Answer: **No Master, only another mile or so now. **Query: **Are you well enough to run?"

Naruto tested his legs by bouncing a little, shifting his weight between them. Other than a tingling sensation from being stationary for so long, it felt okay so nodded at HK.

"Yup, I'm good. Let's go already!"

"**Agreement:** Very well Master."

The Droid turned down the path and took off in a slow jog, clearing ground easily with long legs. Naruto had to hurry in order to keep pace, not wasting any more breath talking.

* * *

After a couple of minutes running at a hurried pace through the trees, the pair came upon a wide open clearing about a quarter of a mile in a rough square. The clearing was completely empty and silent, with the grass dancing in the gentle wind. Naruto stopped next to the treeline and collapsed heavily against a large tree, holding his side as he huffed and puffed painfully.

"**Condescending Remark: **Oh dear Master, you seem to be out of shape. **Uplifted: **Fortunately, my Master has a plan to rectify this mistake."

"You keep...calling me...Master...why?"

"**Confused Answer:** Because you _are _my master. My programming dictates that I refer to you as such."

"That's the thing, why do you think I am your Master? I have never even seen you before and you especially don't serve me."

"**Answer: **You are my Master because my Master has decided that at some point he will pass along my ownership to you. **Admittance: **I must admit however, I am unsure why he would take this path of action. Regardless however, I will serve my Master and if I am to belong to you, then I will serve you."

Naruto shook his head as he regained his breath and stood straight. He obviously wasn't going to get a straight answer out of the machine. He could only hope that whoever his master was, made more sense than it did.

Despite his pleas, HK refused to elaborate, instead walking to the center of the field and stopping a ways off from the middle.

"**Urgence: **Come young master, we are almost there!"

Naruto's eyes widened again as he watched the Droid take a single step forward and vanish! It simply disappeared, leaving Naruto alone in the field. The boy walked forward, searching for any signs of HK but failing. All he could find were the heavy indentations of the Droid's footsteps which simply disappeared entirely in mid-step.

The boy stood directly on the last two footsteps and reached forward like a blind man, feeling foolish. His embarrassment dissipated when he felt a strange buzz in his fingertips just before they disappeared like the Droid had. A jerk of panic shot through him and he leapt back only for his fingers to reappear once they passed a specific point.

"**Urging: **Master, please hurry, we must go before the Master gets impatient."

The voice came from right in front of him, though the machine wasn't visible. The boy took a final deep breath and closed his eyes. As he stepped across the invisible barrier, the tingle washed over his body, making his skin crawl and neck hair stand on end.

When he reopened his eyes, he was shocked by the magnificence of the structure in the center of the clearing. The building was composed of some kind of black marble or obsidian, and was built like a half-finished pyramid, layered and towering high. The design ended well before the pyramid was complete and four statues decorated the corners facing outward. They were all different people, though all obviously male. One was altogether different from the other however but it was difficult to see any details from the angle he was at. In the middle of the top layer was another, smaller building that apparently led into the center of it.

Naruto was about to ask about them when he noticed HK was heading to the temple and was almost there. Naruto hurried to catch up while trying to catch as much detail from the grounds as he could. The inside of the invisible walls he had passed through glowed with a pale blue light and emitted a low hum. The grounds surrounding the Temple were what really got to him though.

There were seemingly hundreds of Droids, like HK-47 but shorter, silver and in better condition. While HK's metal body had scorch marks, scratches, dents, and strange dark stains on it that gave it an old look, the silver ones were flawless and shiny. While they were too far away for Naruto to clearly see what they were doing, flashes of red light kept shooting outward from a squad of the Droids on one side, flying towards some makeshift targets set up in the shape of a human silhouette. The others were performing other tasks, from cleaning up the grounds to breaking down and seperating piles of rubble that lay scattered around the building.

Reluctantly, Naruto turned away from the spectacle just as HK-47 punched some numbers into a pad on the wall and a pair of large double doors slid open to give them access.

"**Welcoming Statement: **Welcome to your new home, young master."

"Indeed, welcome Uzumaki Naruto. We have been expecting you."

Naruto's eyes widened when he saw two tall men standing in the now revealed hallway. The speaker on the left was clad in a black cloak which concealed most of his face and ended just above the floor. He was taller than most of the people in Konoha, with his head topping out at 6'5" and towering over him. Behind the shadows of the cloak's hood was the bare outline of a face and yellow eyes. What skin he could clearly see was pale and betrayed a life spent in the shadows, away from the sunlight. His expression, from what he could see, was dark with a hint of ancient wisdom.

"Relax Bane; you're scaring the poor kid."

The second man stood to the right and was practically the polar opposite of the tall man. He was a little shorter, but stouter. His arms and face were a tan bronze and hard, advertising prowess at physical labor. His arms were thick and corded with dense muscle, evenly proportioned with his chest. He wore a simple pair of blue pants in a strange material and a black t-shirt with heavy boots, completely different than the sandals he was so accustomed to seeing.

'Bane' sighed as he turned to his partner who was chuckling happily. While Bane gave off an aura of darkness that made Naruto tense, his partner seemed happier and light-hearted, much to the boy's relief.

"Hey there! My name is Kyle Katarn and this is my friend Bane. As HK has no doubt told you, we have been watching you for some time now, and I'm happy to say we're impressed."

"You have many questions boy, and they shall be answered in due time. Most importantly, I can assure you that you are safe here. But for now you need food and rest. It has been a long day and you have not yet fully healed from your wounds. Follow HK, he will show you where to go."

Naruto hesitated and looked between the two men, unsure what to do. On one hand, they were strangers and whenever a stranger offered to help him it never ended well. On the other hand however, he had long since learned to trust his instincts, and despite the feeling that his life was on the verge of changing dramatically, for better or for worse in ways he could hardly begin to comprehend, there was no sense of danger from the men before him. The last time he had felt like that was just before he was informed of his acceptance into the Shinobi academy.

After what felt like an age, he nodded slightly and was surprised to see Kyle smile a bit.

"Good lad. HK will show you where to go. Just relax and rest well; we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

"**Statement: **Follow me Master, and I will show you to your quarters."

The Droid turned his back from Naruto and walked down a hallway to the left, his metallic feet hitting the ground with a dull thump every step. Barely giving time to throw a glance down the hallway behind him, Naruto was surprised to see the two men had already gone though the echo of receding footsteps could still be heard, along with soft voices.

* * *

Naruto followed HK down a maze of hallways, twisting to such an extent that he would have been lost instantly, if not for his guide. Though the walls were identical to him, HK seemed to know exactly where he was going. Tall walls made of a black stone stood wide enough for three or four people to walk comfortably, side by side. Every so often the walls would be broken by a wide door of a lighter material. Some were open while others were sealed shut, but they were all the same with no identifying markings. One door in particular caught his attention so completely that he stopped moving and forced HK to backtrack once he noticed his absence.

The door was massive, towering at least ten feet tall and four wide. Across the surface, from top corners to the bottom opposite ones stretched two thick chains with a heavy looking lock connecting them. Just by the look of the chain and lock combination, it was more than apparent that it was supposed to keep some out, or something powerful in. Behind the door was a power the likes of which Naruto had never felt before. Even the carefully suppressed chakra of the Hokage was only a drop in the bucket compared to the waves being emitted from behind the blockade. The air surrounding it was laden with a deep throb that echoed within his mind.

The dark aura of the door was making him uneasy, but when he turned to leave he thought he heard a whisper. He spun around to look behind, but he was alone in the hallway. He stood as still and silent as possible until the only sound was his pounding heartbeat. As he convinced himself that it was only his mind playing tricks on him, he heard it speak again.

"You're weak…"

His heart beat faster and his throat dried up. Fear gripped him and his blood turned to ice in his veins.

"Who's there?"

His only reply was the haunting echoes of his own voice bouncing off the perfectly smooth walls. Once again, after a moment of silence, it returned, louder, angrier, and in greater numbers. The realization came a moment too late that he wasn't hearing them with his ears… but with his mind. They seemed to grow constantly louder in an attempt to make themselves heard over the others, causing them to overlap violently.

"…-engence, return their hatre-…"

"…pathetic! Strike bac-…"

"…-lease your power. They are…"

In a vain attempt to block them out, Naruto covered his ears with his hands and screwed his eyes shut. The darkness somehow made it worse, and the volume increased steadily until he was sure his head was going to explode from the pressure.

"…still alive is outrag-…"

"…you could be great…"

"…Let them fear you!..."

"Shut up!" Naruto roared. He shook his head violently and turned his back to the door, trying to drown out the voices. At first it seemed as though he had succeeded in driving them off when all the voices quieted, leaving the hallway silent once more. The peace was short-lived as one voice returned, speaking softly.

"You are strong to resist us, and stronger still to survive what you have. It would have killed a weaker man."

Cautiously, Naruto removed his hands and let them fall to his sides. The the voice sounded kind, it had an underlying tone that seemed to want to remain hidden, almost like a serpent's hiss. Something that fled from his conscious thought, from the light.

"It's terrible that no one sees the truth, what you could easily become. You are the true prodigy, not their beloved Sasuke."

Naruto's eyes widened at the name and his distrust sky rocketed. How did it know about Sasuke? There was no possible way it could.

"You think Kyle and Bane are the only ones who have been watching you…Naruto? We know everything about you, even more than you know about yourself."

Naruto stepped closer to the door, almost imperceptibly.

"We know your hates. We know your fears. We know your desires. And we know… your secret. The one within you, yes? We can sense it. We can taste it."

Naruto frowned in confusion, until an onrush of information struck him, aided by the voice inside his head. A wave of sights, sounds, and other blended sensations from earlier. He stood in a forest with his two academy teachers standing before him. Iruka was heavily injured with various weapons sticking out of his body while Mizuke stood proudly, gloating over his victory. The silver-haired traitor was speaking to him, addressing the anger and ignorance that had been aimed at him during his lifetime. Despite Iruka's pleas for him to stop, Mizuki had told him a secret about his birth, about the... Kyuuni! Intense emotions shot through him, the most prevailant of which was his distrust of the voices in his head. What are they?

"You question us, yes? We are nothing but memories, fragments once great powers no longer. We survive to teach, to pass on our knowledge to those we find worthy. We feel your hunger for companionship, we'll be your friends. We can sense your desperation; we can be your guides. We know of your wish to be recognized, we can be your voice. Most of all, we know of your inner beast, and we can help you control it."

While the voice spoke, Naruto had subconsciously approached the door and was slowly reaching out for it.

"You have power that the two can only begin to comprehend. They know only of your potential, not the extent to which it reaches. Among the stars you will burn bright, among the powerful you shall be king. Accept our guidance, follow our teachings, walk our path, and you will stand among the gods!"

His mind was clouded and unclear except for the haunting whisper in his mind. His hand was only a few inches from the heavy lock on the door. Somehow, all he had to do was touch it and the chains would shatter, giving him everything he wanted, and more.

"**Query:** Master? What are you doing?"

Naruto jumped like he was shocked, putting some distance between the door and him. He shook his head to clear the fog that had settled and he looked back at the door understandably disturbed.

"Uh… no-nothing! I just... nothing."

"**Suspicious acceptance: **Very well. Shall we continue?"

"Yeah," He cast a final glance at the odd door. "Yeah, let's go."

* * *

"**Excited Statement: **Here we are Master! **Explanation**: This shall be your personal chambers, so feel free to make yourself comfortable."

HK pushed open a rather nondescript door to reveal the single most appealing room Naruto had ever seen. The predominant color was definitely black, and the back wall had a single long window with thick hanging curtains, blocking out the light of the setting sun. The right had a dresser and a stout desk, both empty and carved from a dark, reddish-brown wood that gave off a hint of a rather delightful aroma. The bed was against the left side, pressed against the wall with the head just to the left of the window.

The floor was covered with thick rug that lacked a design, and the walls were the same black stone as the rest of the building. The bed was a moderately large four-poster with hanging curtains of an almost transparent black silk, adding to the overall darkness of the room. The sheets were a different color though… partly. The thick, soft-looking quilt was a shadowy silver with black trim and the pillows were in tune with the design either black or silver. Other than that, the room was bare but comfortable and Naruto could focus on little else but the soft bed.

"**Statement: **Master, the door on the left leads to your private bathroom which has anything you may need to get clean. **Continuation: **I shall have a clean set of clothes brought to you while you shower, they will be ready when you get out."

"Thanks HK! This is awesome; I've never had such a nice room before!"

The Droid's eyes brightened happily before dimming again and he left the room, letting Naruto close the door behind him.

Alone in the room, Naruto took the quiet moment provided to clean himself up. He pushed the door to the bathroom, which he hadn't noticed before, and marveled at the sight. The walls were a shining white that contrasted the room brilliantly. The floor was a clean marble with random, chaotic swirls of silver mixed in. A mirrored cabinet hung on the wall above the standing sink. To its side was a pristine shower as well as every other necessary amenity, including a fluffy towel on a rack.

Naruto happily cranked up the hot water and laughed when a rush of it flowed instantly. When he was staying at his apartment, it would take time before the hot water would flow, but apparently that wasn't going to be a problem here. He wasted no time in stripping his torn and bloodied jumpsuit and stepping into the shower eagerly.

Almost an hour had passed when he finally stepped out of the shower. He had meant to find out how long it would take for the hot water to run out, but even after a while it showed no signs of slowing any time soon. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he decided to let his hair drip-dry and made his way back to the bedroom. Just as HK had said, a new set of clothes were draped over the bed. Just looking at the bed itself made his eyes water from exhaustion. He managed to pull on a pair of boxers and a simple undershirt before collapsing on the soft bed without ever bothering to cover himself with the sheets. He was asleep before he hit the pillow.

* * *

- The Next Day -

Naruto woke up slowly and in the best mood in years, probably since he was inducted into the academy. He rolled his head to one side to check the clock beside him, and the glowing numbers read a quarter past eleven. The blond sighed happily and stretched, feeling a few of his joints pop satisfyingly. For another couple of minutes, he was content to be still and stare up at the ceiling before finally climbing out of bed. The clothes from the night before had fallen off the bed and landed in a heap on the floor. Apparently the shorter man from the night before, Kyle, had picked them out as it was a casual pair of jeans and a plain black tee, just as his had been. Naruto pulled them on, happy to be wearing anything other than the ragged orange jumpsuit.

When he was fully dressed and pulled his sandals on, he turned to the door, unsure of what he was supposed to do. He poked his head out the door to glance down the hall. On either side of the door was one of the Droids he had seen the previous afternoon standing guard.

"Uhhh… Good morning?"

The two metallic guards stood straight and saluted.

"Good morning Master, it is good to see you well rested. Is there anything you require from us?"

"Uh… yeah, where is everyone? The two guys from last night and the red machine?"

"Master Bane and Kyle Katarn are currently in the war room, making plans for your training. I believe they wanted you to join them when you were ready. Kyle seemed quite… giddy. HK-47 is no longer on the premises, he stated only that he had an important mission and left early this morning. Master trusts only him with the most sensitive of issues, so no doubt it is rather important. He will not be back for a few hours."

"Oh cool, thanks." Naruto stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. He looked left, then right hesitantly before looking at the Droid that had spoken. "Where's the war room?"

"The war room is in quadrant 5B in the far western corner, between the entertainment chambers and cafeteria."

Naruto stared at him blankly.

"Backtrack from how you got here, only instead of the third right, take two lefts, straight until the T-junction, and a right. Second door on your left."

Blank stare.

"I have an idea, why don't I show you?"

Naruto grinned sheepishly as the two walked off, leaving the remaining Droid to shake its head in amusement and sidestep in front of the door, and barring any entrance.

Said men stood over a pile of blueprints, looking at one specifically and discussing plans for the immediate future.

"Bane, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, what if the kid can't handle it? He's thirteen for crying out loud."

"True, but if HK-47's information is accurate, he has survived far worse than this before. The injuries he sustained yesterday alone are evidence of that. They should have been fatal for anyone his age."

"I'm still not so sure, you aren't usually willing to take such a large… you've seen him haven't you? You've seen his future. Dammit, I wish you would tell me when that happens You know how much I hate being out of the loop."

"I 'see' every night about many things. How am I supposed to know what is important enough to trouble you over?"

"The end of the world for a start. Then the kid, then me." He noticed Bane avert his eyes when he said that. "Bane, what did you see? Did you see me in one of your damn things! Dammit! Don't dream about me!"

Bane gave a hint of a smile and turned away to look at the door a moment before it swung open.

"What d'ya mean I'm 'short'? I oughta kick your shiny metal butt for that, you piece of junk!"

"I mean that if you were a few inches shorter, I would be concerned about trodding on you accidentally. But enough of that, here we are."

The two older men were staring at them silently for a moment, watching the two bicker back and forth before interrupting their 'conversation'.

"Ah, Naruto. It's good to see you awake. Please, come on in. We have much to discuss."

Naruto approached the desk, throwing a reproachful glare back at his escort. When he stood on the opposite side of the large, stone table, Kyle gathered up at the papers and put them in a neat stack. He and Bane sat back in a pair of comfortable chairs and leaned back.

"No doubt you are wondering who we are, yes?"

"Well before we can really answer that, you have to understand some things. We are not from this time. Bane and I were alive around a couple thousand years ago."

Bane ignored the understandably confused look.

"Our people were human, like yourself, but we lived long ago. We were a highly advanced and privileged race, with technologies you could hardly begin to imagine. We had, have, instruments of war capable of leveling your great monument. Weapons that have power that surpasses your greatest 'jutsu', and bombs that could destroy your entire village in a heartbeat."

"With such capabilities, many factions emerged and spread, each more powerful than the last. The greatest of which were two religious factions, the Jedi and the Sith."

Kyle sat up straighter.

"These two factions were once one, in a massive collaboration, a single entity with the same views and goals. At some point, the wiser leaders of this organization learned of a unique connection between all living things that provided them with life. They called this connection, the Force."

"Over time, the greatest leaders learned to manipulate this connection, using their own bodies as conduits, and were rewarded bountifully. By training themselves in body, spirit, and mind, they could use the Force in ways we could never have imagined. They found ways to lift things many times their own weight with only their will. They could amplify their bodies to be faster, stronger, smarter, or even to aide their wounds in healing faster than was natural. And then there were those who learned to use the Force to attack their enemies, slowing them, manipulate them, and even to kill them with only their mind."

"There were some who would use this power for good, and others evil. As a result, this single great faction became divided, branching off into two separate ideals. Eventually, those who utilized the more aggressive aspects of the Force separated entirely, creating their own faction known as the Sith. The Sith took their name from a powerful race of creatures who were naturally in tune with the Dark side, and these humans became powerful in the Dark side, eventually growing to be greatly feared across the world."

Here, Bane spoke.

"Contrary to popular belief however, the original teachings of the Sith weren't evil in their intent, only dark in their application. There is no good or evil to the Force, it simply IS. A tool, nothing more, nothing less. Is a kunai evil? If one kills a man for his money, and uses a kunai to accomplish the deed, does that make the blade evil? Of course not, it was simply the means to an end. Suck is the Force. The strength of the Sith came both from humanity's greatest weapon, and our greatest weakness, emotion. By letting our heart dictate our actions, we gained magnificent power. To strike out at someone in righteous vengeance, to protect someone you love from injustice, is there any greater feeling? Any stronger motivation? By using this, we became powerful. That is what the Sith taught, to fight not with cunning, but with your heart."

Bane sighed, and his gaze grew sad.

"Unfortunately, after time these ideals degraded. It is easier, for some, to feel hatred than love. Greed and anger over the need to protect. Most of our students began to believe themselves superior to those who were unable to feel the Force as they could. They saw themselves as stronger, as rulers to use their might to take what they wanted from the weak, simply because they could. Over time there were few who remembered the true teachings of the old Sith, instead the others released themselves to the darkest tendencies of human nature which finally ended in disaster. The Sith were evil, with very few exceptions. The eldest council, my apprentice, and myself were all that remained of the legacy. Now it is only me."

Kyle smiled cheerfully and slugged the Dark Lord in the shoulder.

"Aw cheer up buddy! You still have me!"

Bane closed his eyes and shook his head and Kyle grinned sheepishly before turning to Naruto.

"Okay, now everything must have an opposite right? Good and bad,light and dark, it's the way of the universe, all about balance. This balance came in the form of the Jedi; my own people. While the Sith focused on few but themselves, being greedy bastards that they were. No offense of course."

Bane shook his head again.

"None taken. Git…"

Kyle shot the cloaked man a glare before chuckling.

"Anyway, while the Sith were off being emo, the Jedi cared more about everyone else. We were the 'Champions of Light', sort of like white knights, only our costumes weren't as cool."

Bane rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. Naruto laughed as the cloaked man face-palmed, and looked on interested.

"Basically we were your generic good guys. Protect the innocent, beat up the bad guys, rescue kittens from trees, never be selfish. You know, that sort of crap. However, this light had a price. We saw how the Sith fought, letting their emotions control them, and we assumed that their willingness to use them were what made them evil, and I guess in a way we were right. To prevent our Jedi from falling to the Dark Side, we taught them to act logically; to remain calm and think with your mind, not your heart. We also taught that a Jedi was expected not to have any intimate relationships or contact, as they would only bring distractions and weakness in the form of the Dark Side. We were fools. Because of our 'merciful' ideals we could never bring ourselves to outright destroy the Sith, and we were too strong to be wiped out."

"This resulted in a long and bloody conflict, spanning thousands of years and resulting in the genocide of all life on the planet, except for us. Kyle and I are all that remains of our once great legacies.

"What does that mean? Genocide?"

Kyle's eyes widened and he shot Bane a 'are you serious?' look, while Bane just rubbed his brow, his headache getting worse.

"It means when all of one thing is destroyed and there aren't any left."

"Oh, right… I knew that."

"Sure you did…" Kyle shot back sarcastically.

"Now that we have awakened from our hibernation, it is time for us to revive our clans. We have been awake for the last year or so, making preparations. You are not to tell anyone of this, Kyle and I have only been awake for the last two months. Do you understand?"

"Why? Why should I trust you? Why did you bring me here?"

Kyle smiled and put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"We can't just build an empire overnight. It will take many years, and it is quite possible that Bane and I will kick it before we are done. We're like, five thousand years old after all. You wish you looked this good when you're our age."

"If we are to die, someone must remain to continue our great, undying, unifying walk."

"That person, Naruto, is you."

Naruto's eyes widened and he took a step back. Deep within him he felt something stir, and he could have sworn he heard something chuckle.

"You're wrong! You have the wrong person. I'm not ready for this!"

Kyle saw the panic in his eyes, and reached out with the Force to calm him. His voice was calm and soothing.

"Naruto, you are the right one. You have survived hardships that should have killed you. You have managed to survive on your own for years, learning and teaching yourself everything you know. But most importantly, you care for people. Even those who hate and would strike out against you, you still desire to protect them. Who else but a great leader would do such a thing? You are the only one capable of rising to what we require."

"But… but I don't know anything about leading! People hate me anyway, how am I supposed to make them follow me? How could I ever bring them to me?"

"You can't," Bane said almost casually. "These people are blinded by their hatred and have hardened their hearts. They will never follow you, this I have seen. There are a few you can change, but it will not be easy and you don't have much time before they are beyond your influence. Even now, more than one heart is succumbing to a darkness within."

"However, there is good news. Across the Elemental Nations, there are people that are ready to join our Empire. We have found a country specifically that will serve our purpose perfectly. We still have work to do before they are truly ready, but when they are, you will have a new home."

Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement, and he leaned forward happily.

"You mean I don't have to stay in Konoha?"

Kyle chuckled at the boys enthusiasm.

"No, no you don't. However, this is only ensured if you follow us and accept the training we offer. Bane here has a habit of seeing into the future, and most of his 'visions' have been about you lately. Generally if he tells you something, he has a damn good reason."

"My visions aren't infallible. The future isn't set in stone. Every decision we make alters the path the future is set on. I can guide you on the path best, but I cannot make every decision for you. You worry about not knowing how to lead? Of course you don't. You have never had need for the knowledge, nor anyone to instruct you in the ways. Now you do, and it is only natural for us to train our heir, isn't it?"

Bane gave one of his rare smirks, and Naruto felt the fear and uncertainty start to melt away.

"You won't leave me?"

"What makes you ask that? Of course we won't."

"Whenever something good seems to happen, it is almost always too good to be true."

"Naruto, we will stay with you and train you until the day we feel you are truly ready and we must leave. Okay?"

"Okay. What do you want me to do?"

Kyle laughed and grinned happily.

"Excellent! Now its not going to be easy, but I'm damn sure you'll be fine. Now first of all, we need to fix the years of neglect you've received, as well as the problem of that damn fox of yours."

Naruto's eyes widened and his mouth went dry. Kyle saw the reaction and rushed to explain.

"When HK first saw you and started following you around, he noticed something rather strange. He used his scanners to search your body and found a rather strange abnormality. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, so he sneaked into a couple of government buildings gathering data on your condition-..."

"HK sneaked into a government building! Without being caught?"

Bane nodded proudly, and Naruto mouthed a silent 'wow' in surprise and new found respect.

"Anyway, the night the fox attacked, Konoha's soldiers tried everything they could to either kill it, or drive it away, all to no avail. When nothing had any effect, the leader at the time, the Yondaime Hokage designed some seal or whatever. This seal locked it away in your body or something like that. Its purpose was to lock your souls together so the day you died, you would drag it with you, destroying it once and for all."

"So you mean I'm stuck with it for my entire life?" His heart sank.

"Unfortunately, yes. However we are going to see what we can do about making sure it has nothing to do with you. The seal was rather crude, though still effective considering the rush the Yondaime was under. The one thing he didn't see happening however, was the sheer power the fox has under its control, and the seal simply isn't strong enough to hold it for ever. We're going to fix that."

"Seriously! You know how to do that? That's awesome!"

Bane and Kyle shook their heads.

Now listen up, it isn't going to be easy and if you were conscious, it would probably hurt like hell. We're going to knock you out for a day or two until the worst of it is over. Meanwhile, we have some other stuff planned for you while you're under. We don't have long until you need to return to Konoha though. We promised the Hokage we'd have you back so you could be placed on a team after all."

Naruto calmed down and turned to them excitedly.

"Cool. So what do we do first?"

"Normally we would go get some food, but this is going to require some pretty invasive surgery, so it's better for you to have an empty stomach. So why don't you come with me while Bane finishes getting everything prepared for the operation."

"Sure, where are we going?"

"I'm going to teach you about fashion sense."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

* * *

- Storage Zone: Clothing –

Naruto and Kyle walked down a long aisle from rows of many slowly. The boy was looking around with eyes wide.

"I've never seen this many different types of clothes in one place before. Hell, I've never seen most of these types in general!"

"Yup, these are all the clothes that were common back in my time, every design in every color. You want it, I got it and it's all free. So go ahead and pick out some stuff."

Naruto looked up at him with adoration.

"You're serious? Whatever I want!"

Kyle laughed and nodded.

"Yup, I'm serious little Dude. So, got anything in mind?"

"Uhhh, I guess we should start with the pants."

"Sounds good, follow me. I have something you might like."

- Ten Minutes Later -

Kyle leant against the wall of the changing rooms, waiting impatiently for Naruto to change into the new pants he had been given.

"Come on! Hurry it up, they're jeans not a tuxedo for cryin' out loud."

There was a muffled thump, followed by a juicy curse.

"I'm going! Don't rush me. The zipper goes in the back, right?"

"…Are you serious?"

"Uhh… No?"

More mumbling was heard before another shuffling of clothes and Kyle was starting to get bored staring at the ceiling, waiting for the boy to come out.

"Hey Naruto?"

"Ugh, stupid.. huh? What do you need?"

"Why are you so loud?"

There were sounds of a minor struggle, followed by a few the Jedi didn't even want to _think_ about.

"What do you mean? I'm not loud!"

"See? Right there. You shout like, every other sentence you say."

"Hmm, I don't know. I never really thought about it. I guess I have to, since people never listen to what I have to say. Like I said, I don't really know."

After an eternity, the changing room door swung wide to reveal a shirtless Naruto in a pair of mildly tight jeans.

Kyle remained propped up against the wall for a moment before straightening back up and nodding happily.  
"Yup, that'll do nicely. Especially once we pack some meat on your bones. Right now you look half-dead. Me and Bane'll fix that soon enough. By the time you get back to the village, you're gonna have to beat off the chicks with a stun rod."

Naruto frowned at the crack at his build, and then just looked confused.

"How do you plan to build me up? Am I going to have to eat all the time?"

Kyle's eyes gleamed.

"Not quite. Now let's get you finished setting up your new look. You and Bane might have the fashion sense of a color-blind retard, but that doesn't mean I do. Let's see, you've got jeans, which we need to grab more of by the way, so now we need… shoes."

Naruto looked down at his ragged sandals and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Heh heh, I guess I do. But don't you mean sandals?"

"Nope, I said shoes and I meant shoes. Sandals are for going to the beach. If you're going into battle you don't want this open toe crap you ninjas likes so much, you want something that will break bones when you kick someone with them. Besides, what I've got in mind is a whole lot more comfortable than what you're wearing, trust me."

Naruto shrugged and followed after Kyle as he moved through the massive warehouse.

- Seventeen Minutes Later –

"See? I told you I knew how to get here. Oh yea of little faith."

"What? We've been last ever since you turned left at those parkas with the birds on them!"

"Well we're here now, so it doesn't matter, does it?"

Naruto just grumbled as he looked along the vast wall of shoes. His amazement had faded over the half hour trekking expedition, though he was still really enjoying himself. He had never been able to shop with this little restriction before, let alone without having to pay. At some point Kyle had found an abandoned shopping cart, which was what he had called it, and started piling clothes into it, inviting him to do the same.

So far they had collected fourteen pairs of black socks, seven pairs of dark blue jeans, plus the pair he was wearing, about a dozen sleeveless undershirts, either black or gray, and a ton of shirts, some plain tee's, some printed, and others button-down.

All in all, Naruto was really pleased with his new clothing selection. It was going to be interesting to walk down the street without the neon orange. For a while he had liked it, but the novelty had worn off pretty quickly. He was really looking forward to how he would look in everything, though a single thing was bugging him. Whenever he picked something out, Kyle would examine it, glance him over, shake his head, and grab the exact same thing in a larger size. All he would say when asked was 'trust me', followed by a craft wink.

"Found them!"

Naruto turned to the voice to see Kyle holding a black, closed shoe box.

"My apprentice, I have taught you much in the manner of looking badass, now there are but three lessons for you to learn in the chapter of clothing in the book of badass. Two, you will learn soon. The other, I hold in my hands!"

Naruto groaned. The man had been going on nonstop for the last twenty minutes about some book he had read when he was growing up, the 'Book of Badass'. He must have to the word 'badosity' at least thirty times and it was driving him crazy. Though he had to admit, some of the stuff he had learned was… badass.

"Well? What is it?"

Kyle took another step forward, holding the box in one hand and removed the cardboard lid with the other. Naruto fought back the grin threatening to escape as he saw them. Size ten and a half with a thick rubber sole, black leather with an exterior metal toe-piece, extended top that would probably reach to his lower shin, with various buckles adorning the front and sides. They were beautiful.

"What are these?"

"These, my young friend, are highly decorated Doc Martins. A style of combat boot that passed away with, you know, the rest of the world. Commonly preferred by various militaries around the old world, they were adopted by punks, bikers, and skin heads who took it upon themselves to make them a bit flashier. Most Jedi disliked them, but I've always had a soft spot for them personally.

"I can definitely see how they would be better in combat than a pair of sandals. Actually, now that I think about it, why do ninjas even wear those anyway?"

"Because they're 'tarded?" Kyle offered with a shrug, causing Naruto to laugh.

"Yeah, maybe. Anyway, these boots are awesome but they're too big. I'm only a size eight."

"Trust me little Dude, these will be perfect. Now come on, we still have two more things to get before we're done."

The man took off running down an aisle, pushing the cart before him as Naruto hurried to not be left behind.

- Storage Zone: Accessories -

"Woah woah woah Wooahhh!"

Kyle slammed a foot on the ground, trying to slow down the speeding cart before it crashed into a wall of purses. As he stopped barely a foot short, he laughed in relief.

"That was close. Well here we are. Feast your eyes, on the greatest selection of random crap you have ever seen!"

Naruto looked up at the wall, once again in surprise. It had everything! Wallets, belts, chains, necklaces, earrings, everything anyone might ever need.

"Second to last rule," Kyle continued. "Is accessories. Clothes are important because not everyone on the street wants to see you striding about bare and proud, but these show who you actually are. So go ahead and grab whatever need, 'kay?"

Naruto nodded, eyes wide, and stepped forward. The majority of this he had never seen before. His mind raced as he started picking out various things. First, he grabbed a black leather wallet with a long chain hanging from one corner. He loved his Gama-chan, but it had torn during a training spar in the academy class last week. He clipped the end of the chain to a belt loop on his jeans and slid the wallet in to his back pocket, feeling the comfortable weight as the chain dangled by his leg.

Quickly after, he moved to the belts where he found some trouble deciding between two designs. Finally he chose a black one with metal studs that split in the middle for most of its length. He turned away when something shiny caught his eye. A pair of plain metal dog tags hung from a thin chain, and he grabbed them, fastening them around his throat.

Just before he returned to Kyle, he found a simple metal ring lying in a drawer among many. He tried to put it on his finger, but it was just a little too big and slid off. He went to throw it back before reconsidering and pocketing it for later.

"Okay, I'm ready to go. What's the next step?"

Kyle shook his head in mock disappointment. His eyes went skyward in distress and he sank to his knees dramatically.

"Where! Where did I go so wrong in his training? Please forgive me!"

"Uhh… who are you talking to?" Naruto asked, staring at him incredulously.

"You forgot something," He stood up and took something out of a pocket. "A good pair of shades."

Kyle smiled and tossed them to the boy, relieved when he was able to catch them. Naruto smiled back as he slid them into place, surprised at how the world seemed to get both darker and more vibrant at the same time.

"Okay, now we're ready to go. The next and final step? One word, leather."

* * *

- Medical Area: ER/Major Surgery -

Bane had just finished giving the Droids the last of their orders when Kyle and the boy walked through the sliding double door. He turned to them and was mildly surprised at the boy's choice of clothing. While his Jedi counterpart had no doubt twisted the boy's mind with his ridiculous 'Book of Badass', it was still a bit of a surprise that the boy had taken to it so readily. Judging from the boy's earlier attire, he would have assumed that he would have picked something a bit more... eccentric.

"Excellent timing. The Droids are ready for the procedure. Naruto, if you would please remove your clothes and lie on the table, we can begin.

"A-all of them?"

Bane saw the boy start to panic, and rolled his eyes.

"No, you can leave your boxers on. Everything else must go however. We need to be able to reach as much of your body as we can so nothing remains under-developed."

Naruto sighed in relief and quickly shucked most of his clothing, leaving his skin bare to the cold of the sterile room. The room was a basic hospital scene like he had seen many times before in Konoha General. Various machines sat, doing whatever it was they did while a couple of multi-limbed Droids went about their own business; vastly different from the HKs he saw everywhere. Through the doors came in another Droid, though this one was floating like a few he had seen in the storage warehouse.

The hovering metal medic came forward, a tray of acupuncture needles clasped in one of its hands. From each of the needles protruded a small strand of metal wire.

Naruto sighed and sat down of the table, jerking as the cold seared his skin. He lowered himself onto his back, hissing sharply.

"Okay, you ready for this man?" Kyle asked, a hint of concern detectable in his voice.

"Yeah, I guess. Are you guys going to drug me or what?"

"Nope. Drugs don't always work, so we're going to use the Force. You'll fall asleep and when you wake up it will all be over. Trust us, you'll thank us later."

"You've been saying that a lot lately, is there something I should know?" Naruto asked with a smirk.

"Yeah well, it's the truth. Now," Kyle waved his hand across the boy's face. "Sleep…"

The two men waited until the boy's movements had ceased before speaking softly.

"Is he out?"

Kyle turned to the Sith Lord and nodded the worry in his eyes now glaringly obvious. He had done a good job hiding it from the boy.

"You're sure he'll be alright?"

"It would seem you're becoming attached to the boy rather quickly."

Kyle chuckled and eyed the Sith Lord.

"And you aren't?"

Bane seemed to consider it before turning away, a single corner of his mouth raised in a smile.

"Sg-13, you may begin the procedure. And do take care of the boy, it would be most troublesome to replace you."

The floating Droid beeped in conformation then moved to the boy, needles bared. Kyle watched it wearily, then sighed.

"May the Force be with us…"

* * *

_A/N : _Well that's it. Personally, I've been pretty unsatisfied with the number of Naruto x Star Wars crossovers, so I thought I'd try my hand at it. If anyone out there is willing to be a beta for me, I would really appreciate it. I think I got most of the errors, but no doubt a lot slipped by me. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave a review telling me what you think, I would be happy to answer any questions about this. I have plans for this one, oh yes. -Evil Laughter-

Stay Frosty  
- Nikolai


	2. Growth

**A New Order : Growth**

_A/N : Well, I'm pleased to announce a new chapter. Enjoy..._

* * *

Naruto awoke quickly, stretching and sighing happily. He could definitely get used to waking up in the big, soft bed everyday. The first thought to strike him was that his bladder was going to explode, closely followed by the fact that his stomach seemed to be trying to it itself, and was coming dangerously close to succeeding.

He eyed the bathroom door and forced his body to climb out of the bed. As he stood, he had to brace himself against the wall to stop from falling as the blood rushed to his head. His knuckles cracked at the pressure, and the sensation started to return to his limbs from being motionless for so long.

When he was confident in his ability to stand upright without biting the stone floor, he shuffled to the bathroom. He passed the mirror without sparing it a glance, instead focusing his priorities. Getting a shower, and relieving himself before something embarrassing happened.

As he stood in the shower with hot water running down his neck and shoulders, his thoughts turned to the past. The last thing he remembered was finding clothes with Kyle, lying down on a table that was cold as hell, and then… nothing. He rinsed the last of the shampoo from his hair and shook his head, slinging water droplets everywhere. With notable reluctance, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel on his way past.

He barely noticed the mirror out of the corner of his eye as he toweled himself off, but it was enough for him to notice something odd. The guy staring back at him looked a lot like him, but was no where near identical. His fingers stroked his face, taking in his new features. He couldn't help but notice that he wasn't as shocked as he probably should have been.

The most noticeable change was obviously, his hair which had grown out. While before it was just shaggy, now it reached down to his lower neck at the back, and to below his eyes at the front. The color had changed dramatically as well, from its natural golden blond to a dazzling combination of the same yellow, dark reds, and streaks of blacks.

While his eyes had remained largely the same, they now seemed to have brightened to the point of emitting a gentle but powerful light from how crisp the color had become. Something else seemed off, and it was a moment before he realized that it was his whisker marks. Those clefts that had served as a constant reminder of his curse where… gone. He smiled, happier than he could have thought possible. He didn't have to live with it any more! He didn't have to see them in the mirror everyday. They were gone! A feeling of serenity washed over him, a sense of... completion. He had been wandering through life incomplete. Alive, but not who he was meant to become. Now though, now he was. The onslaught of emotion that coursed through him made him laugh out loud, disturbing the comfortable silence.

"I can't believe it! Whoa… what's wrong with my voice?"

Instead of his usual, high-pitched voice, it had softened and deepened. Not dramatically, but now it was much easier on the ears. In fact, it was pretty awesome.

"Hey, how's it going? I'm Naruto…"

His grin softened and he nodded to himself before pushing off of the counter he had been leaning over. His grin came back full force as he realized what that meant. He straightened himself out and laughed again when his eyes disappeared over the top of the mirror.

"Where's that Droid that called me short now, huh?"

His stomach rumbled mightily, reminding him that he was starving. He slipped on a pair of jeans, an undershirt, and his new boots before leaving his room to search for some food. It felt like he hadn't eaten in a week!

* * *

- Cafeteria "Chow Hall" -

Naruto was sitting in a wide cafeteria when the two Force masters found him. The room was huge, easily seating five hundred people comfortably with a row of buffet style counters on the west side. Currently they were empty, but when needed they would be laden with food of every kind. There were eighty five round tables spread out around the interior of the seating area, each with six simple chairs surrounding them. Directly in the middle of the large room, sat the young once blond boy with several empty plates lying to his right, as well as one before him laden with ham, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and a large glass of orange juice, all of which he was digging into ravenously. He looked like he hadn't eaten in months, though by how he was treated in the past few years that probably wasn't too far from the truth, after all, he had never been fed this well since... well, before his transition anyway.

The two men walked up to the boy and when he finally noticed them, took the seats offered. The pair watched as the full plate before them was absolutely devastated in a manner of minutes before the boy sighed happily and dropped the plate on the stack next to him.

"Man that's some really good food. So, good morning you two, why don't you have a seat and grab some breakfast. Chef back there is definitely good at what he does."

From the back of the counter area was a loud beeping sound and a short Droid on treads wheeled in and placed another plate, laden with food, in front of the boy who laughed in delight.

"He loves to be complimented too. Here, grab you some. I think I'm slowing down anyway."

He offered, pushing the plate to the two older guys. Kyle looked at Bane, who shook his head, then shrugged and took a bite out of a slice of bacon from the fresh plate. He chewed for a moment before frowning, which didn't go unnoticed by Naruto.

"What's wrong? Is it okay?" He reached over and bit into another piece. "They taste fine to me..." Kyle shook his head, still frowning.

"No, it's fine. Delicious actually which is the problem." Naruto frowned.

"I don't get it..."

"Whenever the Droid made us food it was never this... good. It was okay, but that was it. This... this is brilliant. It's never cooked this well for me or Bane before."

There was a series of loud, angry beeps from the kitchen and when it stopped Naruto laughed, almost chocking on his bacon, having to wash it down with the glass of orange juice that Bane handed him. When he could breath again, he turned to Katarn.

"_He, _says that is because you guys are, how did he put it? Arrogant, ungrateful, rude, belittling, Meatbags who don't deserve his best. He says that when you guys start to appreciate him more then he will actually try."

There was a short pause, followed by more beeps and Naruto's eyes widened.

"I'm not telling them that! Are you insane!" The outburst made Kyle frown.

"Tell us what?" Naruto looked down and muttered something to quiet to hear. "What? I can't hear you."

"Chef said that you should... take a page out of my book."

Bane, who had taken a piece of toast and was eating it quietly, spluttered and blew shrapnel all over the table and the food. Meanwhile, Kyle started yelling loudly.

"Your Book! What the hell did you do that was so great?" Naruto shrugged casually.

"One of the -50's brought me here when I said I was hungry and Chef brought out a plate of food. I haven't really eaten anything other than Icharaku ramen since no one would sell me any food that was actually good to eat, so when I ate his breakfast I told him that it was the second best food I had ever had. He was quiet for a second then grabbed the plate from in front of me and took off back into the kitchen. I had thought I had offended him, so I was about to go apologize when he came back out with another plate, but this time everything looked... better. When I tried some it was delicious, but I'm still loyal to Ichiraku's and told Chef that it tied for first place and thanked him. Ever since then every plate of food he has brought out has been better than the last."

Naruto took a drink of orange juice and finished the glass when Chef came out with another. Naruto thanked him and the Droid beeped happily before taking up the empty plates and returning to the kitchen.

"Truthfully, I'm not even hungry anymore. It's just so good and I haven't eaten this well in my entire life. Ramen is good, but this is just so much more... filling."

Naruto sighed contentedly and leaned back in his chair.

"Hey Chef! Thanks for the food man, I'm stuffed. That was delicious, you don't mind cooking for me again sometime do you? I have a feeling I found a new place to eat other than ramen."

From the back was a loud beeping, but this time it was more of an exited chatter.

"Thanks man, I appreciate it." Naruto put his feet up on the table and his hands behind his head. "So, you mind telling me exactly what is going on? I woke up this morning and not only am I freaking huge, which I love by the way. But I can think clearer then I ever could, I feel like I could lift the Hokage monument and I can understand what these Droids are saying. I don't even know what a Droid is! So while I am loving the changes, I have no idea what is going on. So please, enlighten me."

The two older men looked on at the young blond in complete shock. This boy was completely different than a week ago and not only physically. He seemed to be more mature, calmer. He still had that energetic aura, but he was more in control of himself. His eyes shone with understanding, happiness, and wisdom beyond his years, but not a single ounce of remorse or regret. Most of all however, he seemed to radiate an aura that hadn't been seen since the time of Revan, Bane's idol. It had the peace and compassion that the greatest Jedi's alive were said to emit and yet the power and confidence of that of the mightiest of Sith Lords, as though challenging everyone to prove themselves before him. The Force Masters felt themselves being stunned despite their reluctance by the sheer potential coming from the boy. Realizing that he was still waiting for an answer, Kyle spoke.

"Okay, let's start with your new physical build. You probably remember just before we put you into the coma that you were surrounded by medical Droids and equipment. When you were comatose the Droids took literally hundreds of needles and buried them into your entire body except for your feet, hands, and your... well uh, yeah. Anyway, they then focused small jolts of electricity into the needles which stimulated your natural nerve impulses, causing your muscles to spasm and contract. This tore the muscles and forced them to heal and rebuild themselves at incredibly fast rates. This was basically the equivalent of you working on a strict workout regimen for a couple of months. What we hadn't expected however, was your natural regenerative capabilities. Because of that, the effects had doubled the result causing it to be the equivalent of about a year. Also, this completely ceased the normal rate of muscle atrophy that would usually have occurred. Normal muscles constantly degrade over time, decreasing in there limits and this is called atrophy. Normally atrophy can be prevented by exercises your muscles and keeping them at peak efficiency. Yours however, don't do this at all, meaning once you have them, they are there for good, though I do suggest that you constantly work at them. After all, it never hurts to be sure."

"That explains about my new looks, but what about my senses? It's like I can see better than I ever could and everything smells really strong. Also, what's with everything being colder than it was before? I tried to take a shower this morning and it was about half an hour before I finally got the water hot enough. Maybe you guys should get that fixed..."

The two men glanced at each other questioningly.

"What are you talking about? The water is fine, a little to hot for me in fact."

"Really?" Naruto asked, frowning. Bane nodded slowly then asked a question.

"Without looking at the thermometer, how warm do you think it is in here?"

Naruto closed his eyes for a second before he reopened them.

"I don't know, maybe high 50's or low 60's... why?" Bane just nodded.

"I thought so. Apparently another side effect of what happened, his internal body temperature has risen to some degree. How much I'm not sure, but more things will feel cool and less warm from now on. Though I have to ask, if it felt that cold to you, why didn't you say anything to one of us?"

Naruto just shrugged. "I love the cold, I always have. I guess since I was outside so much I just got used to it, so now I just feel more comfortable when the temperature is less than 80 degrees really. Though now everything feels colder, I can definitely enjoy that even more."

The two men shook their heads ruefully at how much the poor boy before them had had to suffer at the hands of ignorance and hatred, though they both swore silently that that ended today and that by the time they were done training him, he would never be treated like that again and would be able to defend himself easily should anyone try.

"Anyway," Naruto said. "What was this other change you guys were talking about? It sounds big..." Bane sighed and felt the beginning of a headache coming start.

"This... is where it gets confusing. As you are aware, you are the container of the Demon Lord Kyuubi no Kitsune correct?" Naruto nodded. "Wrong."

Naruto frowned as he examined Bane, looking for any signs of deceit. His confusion was understandable, but he just couldn't sense that Bane was lying to him. Now that he thought about it actually, he felt cleaner than ever before. As though the shower he had taken cleaned him on the inside, as well as the outside. Maybe... maybe he was right?

"What are you talking about?"

"The seal on your stomach was designed so that in times of great danger or stress, you would be able to draw upon the power of the demon to help you. It was also meant to drain his life force until you had absorbed it all and the Kyuubi was no more. Finally, it was made so that if you were killed, the demon would also be consumed and would die with you. Upon the night of your 'death' however, an unforeseen effect of the seal came into place. Kyle and myself noticed the vast amount of the Kyuubi's life force residing within you, but the demon itself is... gone. Before your transition the seal was still fulfilling its purpose and purifying the Kyuubi's energies slowly enough for your body to adapt and begin producing its own, as well as draining his. When we put you into the coma, the seal misinterpreted it as you being near death so it pumped you full of the Kyuubi's force in an attempt to revive you, causing you to absorb well over half of it and adopting some of the Kyuubi's features to your body. Such as your heightened senses, change in hair colour, weight, height, whisker marks, and your permanently risen body temperature by what we guess is about ten degrees, which in itself is amazing. With a temperature that high, medically speaking you should by all rights be brain dead. When the Kyuubi was accepted by your body, it was physically incapable of holding such a massive source of raw power as it was. To counter this it used some of it to speed up your growth process to the point of you aging a few years in only a week. As of right now, physically you are about sixteen to seventeen years old. Naturally we were... concerned about this so we ran a few diagnostic checks while you were still out of it. As of right now, your body has completely stopped aging. Rather then aging from the point you are at naturally, it has apparently given itself a break until chronologically you are the same age as you are physically. Understand?"

His reply was a blank stare from the boy before he shook his head.

"Tough. Basically you are sixteen now and you will stay that way until you would actually be sixteen. As a final touch, it seems your personality has changed fundamentally and every barrier you subconsciously placed to protect yourself has been shattered."

"So what does that mean?"

"When you were a young child you had huge potential. Through the years though, you were held under contempt and ignored for the most part, unless you did something wrong. It seems that subconsciously you realized that whenever you succeeded in something it would only anger everyone around you. To protect yourself from this your mind set up barriers around itself to prevent you from arousing that anger. Whenever you would train eventually you would reach one of those barriers and you would stop improving. Now that you have changed so much your mind has deemed you strong enough to be able to protect yourself from those around you. All of your potential that you were afraid to show has been unlocked and you are ready to stop holding back for fear of being hated and isolating yourself even more than you are now."

Bane sat forward, bringing Naruto's focus to himself and away from his partner.

"Our question for you is this, what do you plan to do now? Whatever your choice, we will train you to the very peak of our abilities to ensure the survival of our separate races. Whatever goals you set yourself afterward, we are sure you will succeed. You have more power and sheer potential than anyone else in history has ever had, this world or any other. Whatever path you choose will alter the rest of your life, so what will you do?"

Kyle stepped forward to stand before the reclined boy.

"Will you walk the path of the Jedi, as I did, to protect the people and bring hope to the darkness?"

"Or will you accept the power of the Sith, taking power beyond your wildest dream and destroying whoever stands in your way?"

"This is a choice that you alone must make, and no one can make it for you. We have seen glimpses of your future and either way you shall rise to greatness. So Uzumaki Naruto..."

"What do you choose?"

Both of them spoke at the same time, their voices coming together to create a strange echoing tone that seemed to radiate with power and destiny. Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, thinking harder that he had ever done in his life. He thought about what he knew about the two factions that he had been told before he had gone into his coma. The strengths and weaknesses of both, He pondered the path of the Jedi and protecting everyone in the village, both those who had treated him like a human, and the others. Walking that path would mean putting up with a life of hatred and disgust for something he had no control over and they could never understand. In his mind, that was unacceptable and unforgivable. Those people out there in the village, they didn't deserve his protection. His love. No, he would not walk that path. His thoughts turned to that of the Dark Side and becoming a Sith, having the power and will to wreak vengeance upon those who would dare to lash out against an innocent, defenseless child in anger, physically or otherwise. Just as he was about to voice his opinion however, a group of faces bombarded his mind's eye; old man Sarutobi, Iruka, Teuchi and Ayame. If the price of that power and vengeance was those he loved, then that was even less of an option then that of the Jedi. So what was his choice? Then it hit him, his choice, his path was clear. His mind returned to not but a few hours ago and the emotion he had felt when he was in the bathroom. His will solidified and he sat straight with a fire burning in his eyes once again.

"The Jedi were bound by their teachings and afraid of their own power, convinced that any sign of emotion or fault would lead to darkness and so they stagnated, never growing, changing or improving and thus weakening themselves through pointless tradition and petty fears."

Kyle cocked an eyebrow and nodded. He wanted to speak up in the Jedi's defense, but being unable to, for every word the boy spoke was the truth. His people had been scared of what the Dark Side promised. _He _had been scared of it. When he was a Master in the old days, he stood amongst the most adamant regarding anything relating to the threat of the Dark Side of the Force. He refocused when the boy, no, when the young man continued.

"The Sith however were obsessed with power to the point of madness. Through constant hatred and betrayal and fear, they blinded themselves to true power. By refusing to offer their trust or their hearts or their love, they never held anyone as precious enough to protect with their last breath. Through protecting those we hold precious to us, we gain strength that is otherwise unattainable. They were pathetic in their hatred, greed, and jealousy."

This time Bane bowed his head in shame, shocked that this boy no older than thirteen had realized a truth that he in his countless years had tried to teach countless apprentices. In fact, that was the very reason why the great Dark Lord Revan had turned from the Dark Side at the peak of his power. All his life he had naught but worshiped the Dark Lord as one of the strongest Sith in history, but not long before his disappearance, he turned on the Sith code and instead, ventured out upon his own. No one had been able to learn why he made the decision he did, but all that was needed to be known was that he did.

Naruto was unsure of where the words were coming from. He spoke them yes, and he knew they were all true, he just didn't know why he spoke them. He wasn't planning it out in his head, instead just allowing himself to speak, as though he was just a conduit for something more powerful than himself. Was this what the Force was like?

"Both sides believed themselves to be right and that the other were nothing but fools, yet they were both deluded and therefore were bound by their own teachings. Jedi thought the Dark Side was evil and the Sith thought the Light Side was weak and pathetic. From the knowledge you have given me, I have come to an understanding of the Force that few ever have, Revan being one of them. There is no Light or Dark Side of the Force, it just is. The Force bind _everything _to _everything. _How would this be possible if it was one or the other? It is impossible. I will learn the power of both and yet follow neither path. I will become a plague unto my enemies and a beacon of hope for my friends. I will rule as a Champion of hope and peace, yet a Bastion of emotion and power. I am Uzumaki Naruto, and I will follow the path of Revan before me and become a true Grey Master. That, is my choice."

Kyle and Bane both nodded their approval of the young boy's decision with a smile gracing their lips. All their fears and worry regarding the boy's path had been misplaced. His own uncorrupted nature would lead him down the path that would bring about a new age for everywhere he touched. Of this they were sure.

"We had figured as much, however the path you have chosen is the hardest of any you could have chosen and is one that few have ever truly walked and most have fallen to one side or the other. We will train and guide you along the path, but it is solely your responsibility to remain balanced and true to yourself. Remember, one's path can always change, for better... or for worse." Bane warned sagely as the boy nodded solemnly.

Kyle spoke up in his usual exuberant tone, breaking the serious mood that had fallen and making Bane shake his head in annoyance.

"Well then young... uh..." He turned to Bane sheepishly, looking for help. "What is he exactly? Padawan, Acolyte, Apprentice..." Bane just shrugged disinterested. If the boy only had one teacher, then the choice would be obvious, but as far as the pair knew, this had never happened before in the history of the galaxy.

"Ah, whatever. We'll figure it out later on. From this moment on your official training begins. Therefore you will refer to us as Master Katarn and Master Bane respectively, or just Master. Now technically your too old to begin the standard Jedi training, but since we're breaking every rule in the book anyway I really doubt that matters much. In the mornings you will meet me in the sparring grounds and I will train your body physically and instruct you in the ways of melee combat. You're still far too young to train with blasters, according to Master Bane." He sent the Sith Lord a dirty glare, but the man just shrugged it off.

"I don't care how much potential he has. Until he actually proves himself to be ready, I'm not going to let him run around with a charged blaster. I've been shot by a kid before and I'm not about to let it happen again just to ease your trigger happy tendencies. Don't ask." He added vehemently when he caught the sparkle in his partners eye.

"Whatever, anyway in the afternoons after lunch Bane will train you to use the force offensively and I will teach you to use it defensively."

"Now while you were in your coma Kyle and I used a special machine to insert a predetermined amount of knowledge up to a moderate level. This covers everything from medical techniques and human anatomy to politics and persuasive speaking. From history and science to explosives and demolition." Bane saw the look on the boy's face and quickly used the Force to deaden his hearing before the explosion of exuberance.

"I KNOW HOW TO BLOW STUFF UP! THAT'S AWESOME!"

"Kyle, are you sure that this was a good idea? I'm still not entirely convinced that he is mature enough to handle that kind of... ordinance." He turned to his partner and saw a look of staggered fear and confusion in his eyes.

"WHAAAT! I CAN'T HEAR YOU MAN!"

Bane just shook his head and waited for the Jedi weapons expert's hearing to return while Naruto continued his... victory dance? After about thirty seconds of happy chanting coming from the direction of the energetic ex-blond, Kyle's hearing finally returned enough to have a suitable conversation.

"I told you he would love it, do I know this kid or what?" Kyle remarked to Bane and he barely heard the Sith mutter quietly in a sing-song voice.

"We're going to di-e..." Kyle grinned and waited for the boy to snap out of his apparent mind-funk.

"Wait, if I already have the knowledge of it, why can't I remember it?"

Kyle was once again surprised at how fast the boy had caught onto the flaw of the technique.

"That's because it and all the rest of the new information is hidden safely in the subconscious behind Force constructed barriers to prevent it from overloading your mental system with too much at once. The human brain was never meant to absorb and retain as much information as we pumped into you at such a fast rate in so little time." Naruto frowned, confused and a little irritated.

"If I can't use it, then what good is it to me?"

"Shut up already and let me explain dammit. While you sleep your brain can bypass the barriers and siphon the information through at a steady enough pace so that it can handle it. It started once you sunk into a normal REM state and will be finished hopefully by the end of this week."

Judging by the look on the boy's face, he was anything but impressed.

"What the hell! Am I even going to be able to sleep?"

"Relax, it all happens subconsciously so you don't have to worry about it. All you have to do is sleep." Naruto nodded but continued to frown. "What's wrong? I thought you would be excited."

"I am, it's just... it feels like I'm... cheating almost. Everyone else has to work hard for their knowledge and I'm just having it given to me overnight with no work at all. It doesn't really feel right."

Kyle laughed and Bane nodded, smiling gently.

"Well, I can honestly say that you never cease to surprise me kid. Okay first of all, you aren't getting the knowledge of everything about everything, just a pretty solid understanding of it so that you can learn more easily enough at your own pace. Second, you have had to teach yourself practically everything you know other than what Iruka and your Hokage helped you with. Even your instructors at the academy tried to sabotage you. Ever wonder why you couldn't pass the tests? It was because that traitor would place an illusion over you during the exam that would make the questions seem harder than they actually were. But if you still feel bad for everything being given to you, then I'll make sure to drive you into the ground with your physical training to make up for it."

Naruto nodded happily, looking at his situation from his new perspective. After all, this was merely what was owed to him for the lack of a formal education.

"Excellent, when the academy starts up again and teams are assigned, I'm going to kick ass!"

Kyle chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm and shook his head happily.

"Alright, calm down. After all, this is where your training begins." Naruto instantly sat up in his chair and looked at the pair of men expectantly.

"Cool, so what are we doing first Master Katarn?"

"First of all, we are going to test you to see what your limits are. I will test you in your physical combat skills and then Bane will begin to explain the basics of the Force and what you can do with it. Sound good?"

"Yes Master!"

The boy leaped up out of his chair and walked over to the wide entrance to the cafeteria before yelling over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen.

"Later Chef!" When he heard the beeping reply, he left the room and began to walk down the hallway before sticking his head back through the door. "Uhhhh... where are we going?"

The two men laughed, albeit Bane a bit reluctantly, and left down the same hallway, leading the boy towards the sparring arena.

* * *

- Training Area Alpha : "The Ring" -

Naruto stood in the middle of a large square ring elevated above the ground about three feet in a place his two Masters called 'The Ring'. The floor was a white canvas type material that was a little springy to the step, letting him bounce slightly. Surrounding the ring were two ropes that stretched taut and reached all the way around the outside. He reached over and pulled on one, and to his surprise it was tighter than it looked, though it had a little give to it. At the corners were posts a bit shorter than he was with buckles attaching the ropes to them.

Outside the ring was a wooden table, long enough to seat two people with two small screens in the center in order to grant extra views from whatever was going on inside the ring. Both Bane and Kyle were seated at the table, but only Bane was sitting in a chair and had a headset on while Kyle was just stretched out on top of it. After a moments conversation, Kyle walked over to the ring and slipped in between the two ropes, stretching them wide enough to fit through.

"Okay kid, listen up." Naruto frowned at his nickname, but didn't say anything. "I'm going to test your hand-to-hand skills, or what you guys call 'Taijutsu'. You're just going to come at me with all you have and I will defend myself with the occasional counter-attack thrown in for good measure. Bane will be the judge and he will decide when the match is over. Now if you can land a single blow on me, the match is over but I doubt that is going to happen. Alternately, the match ends when you are no longer able to fight, stand, remain conscious, whatever." Naruto winced at the last one, but determination set in his eyes, causing Kyle to smile. "Okay, so lets get this going."

A door in the right side of the room opened, startling the young boy, though Kyle just watched on happily. Out of the shadows a humanoid Droid walked out and approached the ring before climbing in like Kyle had done before. It walked to the center of the ring and a small microphone on a long wire dropped down from the ceiling into the Droids waiting hand. It looked over to the announcers table and Bane nodded before flipping a switch and all hell broke loose.

The walls of the room suddenly disappeared and in their place stood rows and rows of bleachers, all filled with transparent blue... people? The massive crowd varied from male to female, fat to skinny and many of them held various signs with words of praise on them. The one thing that they all had in common... they were all screaming loudly enough to be inaudible. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and Kyle spun around to stare at Bane with an excited look in his eye.

"Sweet! I thought you hated the audience function?" Kyle yelled over the screaming crowd. Bane just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Only when I fight, besides. I figured Naruto might fight better when he was being watched. He seems like that kind of person and I know that you love it."

Kyle just grinned even wider and turned back to Naruto, who had recuperated from his shock.

"What the hell is going on here! Who are all these people? Where did they come from?"

"Chill, they aren't real. They're called holograms and they just symbolize and act like real people. They are going to be our audience for the fight, so make sure to do your best."

His explanation was cut off when the Droid in the middle of the ring started talking, his voice magnified by the microphone.

"Lllladddiiiiieeeessss and Gentlemannnnn... put your hands together for today's fighters." It pointed towards the corner Kyle was standing in by the blue column. "In the Blue corner, weighing in at 227lbs, Kyle 'Kick-ass' Katarn!"

Here half the stadium crowd roared out in approval, shouting his name and whistling loudly while the other half jeered just as loudly. Of course, their frenzy was aided with Kyle's showboating, walking around the ring confidently, flexing his muscles and posing for the crowd. When they finally quieted down, the Droid continued.

"And in the Red corner, weighing in at 172lbs, Uzumaki Naruto!"

Here Naruto just lowered his head a little, trying not to hear the cold reception that always happened whenever he was before a large group of people, but their reaction was the complete opposite from what he was expecting. He had expected jeers, whispers, curses, or outright ignorance, but instead they were... cheering. The boy looked up at the crowd disbelievingly. After a few seconds he remembered that here, he could make a new start. No one knew his reputation and what he jailed, or at least, what he used to jail. So what if they were holograms? They were cheering for him, their purpose was to watch him do his best, and that was what he was going to do.

He looked down at himself and flexed his arms and legs, still getting used to the major upgrade he had recently undergone and looking forward to seeing what he could do now. He looked back up at Bane with determination set in his gut and apparently his Master could sense it, because he smiled gently.

"Alright kid, let's go. Make sure to give it your all, and put on a good show."

Naruto nodded and twisted his neck, causing it to pop in several places before he hunched over into a defensive position. The Droid looked at the two of them before speaking back into his microphone.

"Are both contestants ready?" The pair grunted. "Okay, I want a good clean fight. Now let's get ready to ruuuummmbllllle!"

Off to the right a bell rung twice and Naruto took that to be the sign to begin. Going with his usual strategy, he charged straight forward powerfully and swung his right fist, hoping to catch Kyle in the face. Kyle merely moved his head to the side and dodged it easily, throwing the boy off balance. With his arm outstretched and his body off center, it was easy for Kyle to bring his knee up and nail the boy dead in the stomach, throwing him across the arena. The blond got to his feet, gasping for breath and surprised at how hard the hit was, considering it seemed that the older man had barely tried. Kyle just grinned at him and stood unmoving.

"If that is all you have, then I think we may have been mistaken in taking you as our apprentice."

Naruto growled in anger and rushed toward the man again, swinging his leg to trip him up. Kyle just sighed and jumped straight up, dodging his kick and bringing his knee down to counter-attack. Naruto saw it coming and barely rolled out of the way in time. He leaped up and evaded to the opposite side of the ring, trying to catch his breath and think of a strategy. Kyle just stood there like before and sighed heavily.

"Honestly, I thought you would be a better challenge then this. Are we just wasting our time with you?"

Naruto felt his anger rear up again and was about to charge when he realized something.

'Every time I get to far for him to attack, he starts taunting me and making me mad. Iruka-sensei always said never let your opponent manipulate your emotions in the middle of a fight because you stop thinking clearly and you'll play right into his hands. If I can ignore whatever insults he throws at me, maybe I can wipe that smug grin off of his face.'

The blond boy smiled happily at the thought and charged toward his opponent again, this time hoping to catch him off guard. He swung his right fist in a feint, trying to distract Kyle from his left foot, which he swung out to kick him in the knee. Kyle however saw through the feint and ducked the punch while blocking with his hand, holding Naruto's leg. With an evil grin, Kyle threw him across the ring, causing him to slam into one of the ropes and bounce back into the middle of the ring. Seeing him on the ground for the moment, Kyle took the opportunity to put on a little bit of a show. He ran over to one of the corner poles and climbed up on it, steadying himself with his strong legs while waving his hands to the crowd. The supporting half started chanting while Naruto's supporters yelled at him to get up.

Naruto lay still, winded at the hard fall, and opened his eyes slowly at the sound of a loud chanting.

"Turnbuckle! Turnbuckle!"

He frowned inwardly. What did that mean? He looked up to see Kyle flying through the air towards him on his side with one leg bent at the knee outstretched to crush him. His eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen and he forced himself to roll to the side, despite how out of breath he was.

Kyle hit the ground next to him and felt the wind rush out of his lungs. He hadn't expected the boy to dodge his knee drop. Seeing the condition the boy was in, Kyle decided to end it quickly. He lifted the boy by his shirt and threw him over the ropes casually, wincing casually as he hit one of the walls.

'Ooh, that's gotta hurt!'

The Droid clad in black and white strode to the center of the ring and lifted one of Kyle's hands above his head, giving him the victory.

"And the winner by Ring Out and Technical Knockout! Kyle 'Kick-ass' Katarn!"

Naturally, the crowd went nuts. One particular hologram of a female going as far as to flash him as a reward for his victory.

"Well that's a new one. I love this sim!"

With half the crowd practically screaming at the effortless victory Kyle wrought, Bane saw it as the end of the fight. Besides, Naruto had hit the wall pretty hard and didn't look so good. Getting up from the announcer table, he walked over to the boy on the ground to make sure he was okay. By the time he got there though, Naruto was already sitting up with his back rested against the wall and breathing heavily.

"Are you okay, Apprentice?"

"Yes Master Bane, I'm okay. I've taken worse than this before." Bane nodded as Kyle walked over to the pair.

"Not bad for a first time, but by the end of the week you will be a lot better. Now do you know why you lost?"

Naruto just looked up at him with an incredulous expression.

"Because your faster, stronger, and better trained then me with far more combat experience?"

Kyle frowned and Bane was trying to hide a chuckle with a soft cough.

"Well yeah, but it's also because you don't have any certain style. All you do is fight like a brawler, swinging kicks and punches wildly. Normally this style is completely pointless and never works against trained opponents. However, I just happen to know a certain fighting style that was lost centuries ago. Its name is Krav Maga and it was used by a country called Israel's special forces long ago. Unlike most martial arts styles, this has nothing to do with Kata's or dance like patterns whatsoever. The entire point of Krav Maga is to do as much damage as fast as possible without taking any critical damage from your enemy. This is a style meant to be fatal and will either deal massive damage or cripple a person for the rest of their natural life. You will be the only person in over a thousand years to use this style, which will give you a distinct advantage as no one will have ever seen it before."

Naruto smiled again as he thought about the possibilities surrounding such a style before his smile turned into an outright grin. Bane drew his attention by standing upright.

"Okay now listen up. Your physical test is complete and despite Kyle's taunting, I see potential in you, so make sure to push yourself and we will help you become the best you can be. Meanwhile go hit the showers and meet me in the meditation chamber and I will test you on your Force compatibility."

"Yes Master!"

Naruto took off running through the hall and disappeared leaving the two men behind.

"So what do you think?" Kyle just sighed in response and rubbed the hand he had used to stop the blonde's kick.

"His sheer strength is remarkable. I think he broke my forearm when I blocked that kick of his. Once he actually has a style under his belt instead of just brawling, he will be a force to be reckoned with."

Bane nodded in response and left quietly, heading toward the meditation chamber before Naruto could get there before him. Despite their vast differences, the thoughts of both men were the same.

'Judging by his aura, this should be interesting.'

* * *

- Training Area Epsilon "The Pitt" : Two days after awakening -

"I can't do it!"

"You can do it! Push dammit!"

Naruto let out an agonized shout as he used all the upper-body strength he could muster to press the metal weight upward. Kyle stood over him, supporting him with his shouts while keeping a careful eye on the weights just in case Naruto's grip on it slipped and it crushed him. Training accidents happened after all.

"C'mon! Almost there!"

The young man let out one last grunting roar before pushing the bar high enough for it to slip over the thick supports, bringing it to a rest. The weight of the bar and attached steel made the frame of the bench reverberate with a loud clang, though it held strong. Well over one hundred and fifty pounds of steel found its resting place slowly, finally ceasing in its motions.

"Twenty, alright! I did it! I can't believe it!"

Kyle handed his apprentice a white towel, already soaked with sweat, and a bottle of warm water. They had been in the exercise room everyday before lunch since he had woken up. There they would press Naruto's bounds in endurance on the bicycle machine and treadmill, and his strength on the various machines. After a joke from Naruto that soon he would be stronger than Kyle was, the Jedi had taken to working out at the same time, giving the blond some competition, though he was still severely outclassed.

"Excellent job bro. Take a quick break, then we can hit the pool."

"Ah, alright, just let me catch my breath 'kay?"

"What? Winded already?"

"Oh shut up!"

Kyle dodged the nasty towel that was thrown at him, laughing happily.

* * *

- Chamber of Solace : Six days later -

A solitary figure sat in the obsidian tomb he had named the 'Chamber of Solace'. Arranged in a perfect circle roughly fifty foot in diameter, the tall walls were the same blackened stone as the rest of the building's interior. Scattered randomly around the room lay various crates, wreckage, stone pillars, deactivated Droids and other useless junk scraps. The chamber was completely silent if not for the slow breathing of the cloaked figure.

The man sat with his back braced against one of the seven pillars that formed an enclosed circle, facing inward. His eyes were closed and he almost seemed to be asleep. He wore a long black robe that covered his entire body and concealed any trace of skin and his face was likewise hidden by the dark hood and was thrown into shadow revealing only his mouth.

After a couple of minutes of sitting still, the man stood, using the pillar to support him. When he stood at his full height his head reached 5'5'' adding to his already ample build. He walked over to the center of the inner ring and sat once more, this time in a basic meditation stance, cross-legged with his arms draped over his knees and his hands relaxed, knuckles facing downward. For a short time nothing happened, but to one trained in the use of the Force it was possible to feel an immense build-up of pressure in the room. All of the air in the room began to gravitate toward the seated figure, stopping just short of touching his robes and began to rotate around his body in a sharply defined dome.

Slow at first, the air began to quicken its pace until it became a spiraling maelstrom, assaulting his clothes and whipping his cloak into a frenzy as it was battered about by the currents. Soon the winds reached a crescendo and smaller pieces of scrap metal around the room began to twitch violently. They rose into the air and flew at high speeds toward the seated figure, seemingly intent on splitting his skull in two. Just as the air had done, they stopped inches from injuring him and instead began to circle him.

Once the metal shards speed up to a crescendo, the man rose his right hand to shoulder level and used the Force to grasp an individual shard and brought it to a halt. Funneling all the power he had built up, the shade focused all of the energy into the air surrounding the metal before flicking his wrist in the direction of a CIS issue Super Battle Droid, sending the shard hurtling toward the metal behemoth. Despite he thick layers of armor, the piece punched clean through the shell and buried itself deep into the wall behind it.

The man admired his handiwork before he was distracted by a hissing sound the filled the room, originating off to his left. He turned to watch and a pair of hidden doors opened in the wall, revealing another black clad figure who was clapping slowly.

"Very well done my Apprentice. You are young, and yet still so powerful."

The first figure sank to one knee with his right fist pushed into the ground before him and his head bowed.

"Thank you, my Master."

The bowed man removed his hood, showing the strong face and multi-colored hair of Naruto. He grinned at the compliment and once again resolved to push himself harder, happy with the results he had obtained so far.

"However you still have much to learn. Anyone over your Chuunin rank could have easily avoided your attack and killed you before you had time to recover. Remember, there is always more to learn and ways to improve, so don't get overconfident. It could easily get you killed. You are powerful my Apprentice, but you are not perfect."

The remark killed Naruto's jubilation and his face fell slightly before Bane continued.

"But still, you did master Force Push, Pull, and Cocoon in one day, which is unheard of for one as young as yourself. You should be proud."

Bane approached the boy and put an arm on his shoulder, beckoning him from his kneeling state.

"I sense great things in you Naruto. If you continue to push yourself at the rate you have been, you may very well be granted the title of Sith Lord sooner than I or Kyle had ever expected."

Naruto smiled again but this time it was more subdued. The boy had grown over the last week. Not only was he faster, stronger, and smarter than before, he had also matured greatly. Instead of an unrestrained ball of energy he was like a tightly coiled spring. Under control, but still brimming with energy and ready to strike out at any time. He had also dropped the mask of idiocy and was excelling in everything he pushed himself in. Every morning he and Kyle would train hard in "The Pitt", making himself physically stronger and becoming more proficient in Krav Maga, which Kyle derived great pleasure 'teaching' to Naruto, though he thought it was only because it gave him an excuse to beat the hell out of him.

Outside of combat prowess, he was now highly skilled in demolitions, philosophy both new and old, persuasion, mind games and manipulation, and war strategies from all across history. In his physical training he had shown a complete inability to use martial weapons, especially those with an extended blade. More than once he had hurt himself badly with the sharpened blades, resulting in him spending half an hour in the medical lab, soaking the wound in Bacta before he was healthy enough to continue. Eventually his two masters had decided to call off his weapon training until they found a weapon he showed some form of finesse in. Naruto had passionately wanted to train in the use of the lightsaber, but not only did his home planet seem incapable of producing the crystals necessary to focus the beam, thus rendering the weapon useless, he simply sucked so much that neither of the older men felt it was wise to continue. Despite being unable to use the weapon symbolic of his fore-bearers, he threw himself into his training in Krav Maga, showing he had an affinity for the street-fighting like movements the style employed. When Kyle had learned of this, his eyes had lit up with excitement and he had hurried away, saying that he had an idea and left it at that. Every evening he would part company and not be seen until the morning, where he appeared weary, but highly excited. Whenever he was asked he would only reply that it was a surprise and they would see at the end of the week.

Due partially to the extended amount of times he spent in meditation focusing on his spiritual connection with the Force, he had gained a level of insight and deeper understanding of himself and the people around him. No longer was he obsessed with becoming Hokage in order to force the arrogant villagers to acknowledge and respect him, realizing that no matter what he did they would never see him for who he truly was rather than the Demon he had once housed. Instead his main goal was to serve the Third Hokage to his dying breath for the kindness he had shown him. Of course it was inevitable that eventually the old man would retire or pass away so when that day came he would either serve the next Hokage if he respected them enough, or he would leave the Konohagakure and start his own village. Either way, he would revive his clan and rebirth the old ways of the Force. With some moderate changes of course.

But that was far in the future, for now Naruto was excited about many things that would come at the end of the week. For one he would be assigned a team and finally become a true ninja, though he refused to follow their code or use most of their techniques, he would show his new changes and power and make the village come to terms with the fact that there was another source of power that far surpassed the common. Bane had frowned at Naruto's claims that he 'Couldn't wait to show that emo bastard his new abilities'. Kyle however had laughed and encouraged him to, 'Knock that punk off his high horse'.

One thing had been troubling him however, the other Genin hopefuls. He wasn't sure what to do about them. Over time he had come to appreciate some level of companionship with a few of them, and honestly he was more confused than ever before in his life. Anger, hatred, rage, ignorance, sadness, all of these he could deal with but camaraderie was a completely foreign idea to him. Perhaps he should ask for advice? Surely there was someone that would give him some help figuring this out. The Force was powerful, but even it had its limitations.

* * *

_A/N : The formatting system on is starting to irritate me. Anyway, our hero(?) has set off on his path and is gaining power at an impressive rate. But will he stay on his chosen path, or will he fall prey to the more sadistic powers the Dark Side promises? Stick around to find out. Also, I am allowing myself to be persuaded in one cirumstance, the main pairing. Send in your recommendation on which GIRL (No yaoi or group scenes) Naruto sould be paired with, and a couple of good reasons why and I will take it into consideration. Remember though, I already have a pairing in mind, so you will have to be pretty convincing to change it._

_Stay Frosty  
- Nikolai_


	3. Introductions

**A New Order : Introductions**

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

_A/N : Well I am proud to announce another chapter. Enjoy..._

* * *

Iruka staggered into the semi-crowded classroom heavily, his stance betraying his physical and mental condition. For the last fortnight, the classroom teacher had been worried sick and losing sleep over the mysterious disappearance of his favorite pupil. From what he was able to piece together from various sources, after failing the exams Naruto had gone to be alone at the Hokage monument. There Mizuki had caught up with him and had some sort of conversation about an alternate way to pass. With that goal in mind, Naruto had broken into the Hokage's office and incapacitated the old man though the details were currently classified. With the forbidden scroll in his possession, Naruto had tried to escape into one of the more remote training grounds around the village to meet up with Mizuki. That was when whatever plan he had gone wrong. Rather than making it safetly to the meeting place, Naruto had been apprehended by Konoha's ANBU.

That was where things got murky, as he had gotten varying responses from different sources. The general outline was the same though, and eventually he had spoken with one of his close friends in the ANBU, who had gotten permission to share the details with him because of the teacher's relationship with Naruto. Right after exiting his meeting with the Hokage, his friend had pressed an official manilla folder into his hands and walked away, blending into the crowd before Iruka could thank him.

Now he was standing in the same classroom he had taught at for years, with the same students he had been teaching for the last year. Well, all the ones that had passed at least.

He sat down at his desk and dropped the folder on the stack of papers already present. Before reading over the roll and making his congratulatory speech, he read over the mission report once more. Maybe he had missed something about the wereabouts of his favorite student when he had read it the last... five times.

* * *

The official report was that the boy had somehow managed to lose his pursuers and fled from the village, but behind that opening page, a different truth was known. A three man squad had been dispatched to bring the boy back with orders to capture him alive. The three had found the boy running through the wooded lands, away from Konoha. When he was apprehended and confronted, the boy had shown genuine confusion at the consequences of his actions.

He had given a statement that one of his teachers had put him up to the task with the promise that upon succesful completion of stealing the scroll, he would be immediately promoted to Genin. When the leader of the ANBU squad informed the boy of the fabrication, if the tale was true, Naruto had been frightened and confused. He had offered the scroll back to the ANBU squad leader, apologizing profusely and showing, once more, genuine concern.

The squad leader had given the orders to his squad then. He would personally return the scroll to the Hokage to ensure its safe arrival. Deer would escort the boy back to the village, and Tiger would inform the Shinobi body that the boy had been found and captured, to call off the search. That was when things had gone bad.

While the leader and Deer had followed their orders, Tiger had not. Rather than escorting the boy back to the village safely, he had taken the opportunity to satisfy the rage that he had held since the day of the Kyuubi attack. Though most of Konoha had restrained themselves from mistreating Naruto for being a Jinchuuriki, they had not gone out of their way to make his life pleasurable by any stretch. Constantly ignoring him, chiding their children for interacting with him and eventually driving him away entirely, the container's life had not been an easy one, even with the lack of physical retribution.

Unfortunately, the Tiger-masked ANBU had found the moment simply too perfect for him not to enact his retribution for the death of his wife and unborn daughter. Despite having no hard feelings toward Naruto himself, all he could see when facing him was the grinning face of the monstrosity. As long as Naruto lived, the threat of the Kyuubi remained, he simply couldn't take that risk. The boy had to die.

Drawing his standard-issue blade from its sheath on the small of his back, the man had apologized to the boy for his actins, explaining his actions with a slight hint of regret. When Naruto had caught on to what the man meant by his words, he had panicked and made a break for it, trying to escape through the trees. Tiger had given chase, and managed to inflict significant damage to the boy, ending his flight.

The boy's execution had been interrupted by something strange. While the exact events were unable to discern from the site, Tiger had been found in the forest alive and in critical condition. In the center of his chest, just an inch from his heart and lungs, was a single charred wound of unique and mysterious origin. The surrounding tissue had been cauterized, seared shut, and there was no bleeding, only charred flesh and muscle. The man's last words were his explanation of what had happened. Between his dying gasps, the attending medic-nin had managed to derive a description of a man-like figure who had appeared before he could kill the boy. The details were... questionable, at best due to his state and PTSD was to be assumed, as well as extreme shock. The wound he carried was a testament to the accuracy of his description of the weapon though, and he described it as a similair weapon as those used by Wind-country and fired a condensced bolt of red energy, faster than the eye could see, that had burnt like fire. All he had seen was a flash of crimson, he hadn't even had the oppurtunity to dodge.

Further details were impossible to discern, and the man had died soon after from his wounds, which were beyond the medic's ability to treat. Upon the man's death, they had searched for any indication of what had happened to the boy, as he was nowhere near the ANBU who had been chasing him. The tracker-nin found the light trail of blood that they could only assume belong to Naruto. Where it seemed he had stopped and fallen to the ground, began a set of tracks that belonged to someone heavy with an odd footprint, leaving deep imprints in the soft earth. They led away from the body in the direction of the Forest of Death before trailing off in the harder dirt.

That was where the mission report had ended, though there were indications that a further search had been started. If it had ended succesfully, they were doing a rather effective job of keeping it hidden.

* * *

Iruka leaned back in his office chair, rubbing his head to combat the headache that was starting. Luck was on his side when he looked through one of his desk drawers and pulled out a bottle of asprin that still had two pills left in it. He made a mental note to buy some more on his way home, and downed them both. Closing his eyes, he decided to let himself sit quietly for a moment before doing what he had to-...DAMMIT!

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of two pairs of stomping feet rushing down the hallway toward his door, signifying the arrival of two of his loudest students.

"Ha! In your face Ino-pig, I was here first so I get to sit next to Sasuke-kun."

"You wish, Forehead-girl, I was in way before you!"

"Liar!"

"Mountain brow!"

"Pig!"

"Banshee!"

"Both of you shut up! In case you haven't noticed, there are two empty seats beside Sasuke." One of the remaining students had had enough and pointed out the obvious to the oblivious.

The two fan-girls shut up and stared at the empty chairs for a moment before scrambling to the seats and playing tug-o-war with the object of their affection. The rest of the class just shook their heads before resuming whatever they had been interrupted and trying to ignore the sad sight before them. Kiba gave up on the lost cause and pulled out a tennis ball so he could play fetch with the small white puppy riding in his fur coat. They were cute, sure, but they just weren't worth the trouble that would go along with them. After all, there were plenty of civilian chicks that would jump at the chance to go out with a real ninja.

After a few more minutes of bickering from the two fan-girls and murderous glances, as well as a near-aneurism from the last loyal Uchiha, Iruka showed his lack of patience for the ensuing pandemonium in his classroom. The teacher sighed at the chaos in the room before using his signature technique to calm them down.

"Alright, sit down and shut the hell up!" His voice was amplified as his head swelled to three times its normal size in an instant before returning to normal. Once Iruka was satisfied with the concentration focused on him, he continued.

"Okay guys, you know the drill. When your name is called indicate your presence. Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"Inuzuka Kiba?"

"Yo!"

"Akimichi Chouji?"

"-munch- Here! -munch-"

The list continued until he neared the end.

"Nara Shikimaru?...Shikimaru? Somebody wake him up!"

At the back of the class was a grunt and a muttered 'Troublesome'.

"Uzumaki Naru-..." His voice stopped as he winced and there was a barely audible sob before he was interrupted again by the door opening and revealing. A vaguely familiar male walked into the room. He stood a clean 6'4'' and was built like some kind of athlete. He wore a loose pair of black cargo pants with a chain used as a belt. Tucked into his pants were a heavy sounding pair of combat boots with a metal toe-piece on the exterior. A light grey undershirt was covered by a thin, black leather jacket that ended at his waist, compensating for the crisp and cool autumn weather. His hair hung loose and shaggy, a vibrant contrast of sun-kissed blond and dark black. Around his neck, he proudly bore a metal penchant with a pair of silver dog-tags on it, engraved on each was a seperate symbol that none of them had ever seen before. Over all, he cut a rather impressive figure, but his piercing blue eyes captivated anyone who made eye-contact.

After examining the class, the young man shot the group a rather intimidating grin, the tip of one canine protruding over his bottom lip, tinting the soft pink flesh with a glimmer of white.

"I would apologize for being late, but apparently I'm right on time..."

The only sound from the entire class was Hinata muttering, "Naruto?..." before slumping over her desk in a dead looked around the entire classroom, enjoying the disbelieving expressions he was being given by his peers.

* * *

"Damn Naruto, is that really you?"

Naturally Kiba was the one to break the silence and Naruto feigned hurt.

"I'm gone for two weeks and you already forget about me? That hurts man, that hurts deep."

Naruto grinned, bearing his new 'fangs' and headed over to his usual seat next to Sasuke and Sakura only to find that it was taken by Ino. He sighed loudly and glanced around the room looking for an empty seat only to find one next to his oldest friend, Shikimaru.

He dropped down into the chair and leaned back, propping his legs up on the table, one bent at the knee and the other hanging straight, sitting on two chair legs. Naruto looked around and examined the looks of the still shocked Genin.

Kiba had a confused look on his face, obviously trying to figure out where the change in looks and growth spurt had come from, while Akamaru was chewing away on the tennis ball.

Shino was looking emotionless as ever, though there was a slight buzz coming from under his jacket and one eyebrow was slightly elevated., about as much emotion as the Aburume clan members ever showed.

Chouji was still eating but gave him a casual wave when he met his gaze and then starting eating faster, all the while with a slight frown.

Shikimaru had muttered troublesome and gone back to sleep, not really a big surprise there.

Sasuke had a small glare on his face and was leaking an almost pitiful amount of killing intent, Naruto could practically smell the hatred radiating off of the young avenger. He must have been able to sense the aura of power emanating from him when he walked in. Again, not really big surprise.

Sakura was openly glaring at him. For thef irst time he found himself questioning the 'love' he had felt for her for so many years. How did he ever find her attractive? He had been surprised when Bane had approached him about his relationship with the pink-haired Kunoichi-in-training. After a discussion that found Naruto getting rather infuriated, he realized that the only reason he had ever pursued her was because of what she symbolized. In his state of social deprivation, he had come to believe that Sakura was the epitamy of social standing. Beautiful, smart, she was everything he could ever hope to have in a girlfriend. With this in mind, he had tried to gain her affection in theb elief that if he could somehow get her to accept him, he could get the rest of the village to follow suit. Regardless of his reasonings though, it didn't matter anymore. That was his old life. The old him. That Naruto is dead.

Ino's expression was a bit of a surprise. She had a confused look and under it lay a hint of... attraction? It wasn't something he was used to so it was hard to identify. It probably had something to do with the way he had matured. He couldn't help but smile a little at the reaction though.

Iruka wasn't a big surprise but it was still good to see. He had a happy glow on his face and his eyes were lit up. It was obvious he was trying to keep himself under control while in front of the classroom.

Across the room, Hinata was stirring awake and looking around confused, her eyes widening when she saw him. As soon as she caught his eye she blushed and hid in her arms. He chuckled softly He had a class to mess with. He put his arms behind his head and laced his fingers.

"Well Iruka-sensei, I believe you were going to tell us something?"

Iruka blinked for a second, confused then he remembered.

"Right, right. Anyway, here we are at the end of the term. You have all studied and trained hard to get where you are today and now it will begin to pay off."

The scarred Chunin went into an in-depth explanation of their new rights and responsibilities as Genin of Konoha and how it was now expected of them to act in a way that would benefit Konoha. Naruto listened to the first part of his speech, partially amused at that. The thought of doing anything for the 'Good of Konoha' was laughable. He soon zoned out however, choosing instead to focus his attention on the guy beside him who had by now fully awakened, though by the look he was giving it was against his shot a glance at the young man sitting next to him, and couldn't help but feel a bit surprised at the change he had undergone. Naruto was bigger, stouter, and had a look about him that said he wasn't the hyper idiot he used to be, always good to see.

* * *

"So Naruto, what happned? You disappeared for two weeks and came back... different."

Naruto glanced at him casually and just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Meh, I met some people and they helped me..." He trailed off, unsure of what word to use. "Let's just say they helped me not suck."

Shikimaru smiled at the comment.

"Well it's good to see that you haven't changed _too _much."

"You know it guy!"

"Are you two ladies done catching up back there?"

The two turned their attention back to Iruka who was giving them a faux-glare of irratation, though he was obviously too overjoyed at having Naruto back to get mad already.

"Alright, now is the time that every class is divided into multiple teams, according to your rankings in the classes. This will help place you where you will do the most good, and get the most help."

Their teacher's voice had returned to its usual tone, filled with pride at his students as he started reading down the list of students, calling out names, team numbers, and their Jonin squad leader.

"Team Seven will be Uchiha Sasuke..." Naruto had the vague thought that most of the girls in the class must have been selling their souls to the Devil. "Haruno Sakura..." Apparently Sakura was the first one to reach the Prince of Darkness, judging by the violent squealing from the pink-haired girl. "And Uzumaki Naruto. Your Jounin instructor will be Hatake Kakashi."

Everyone in the classroom had expected Naruto to be jumping for joy when he learned of being on the same team as Sakura, but instead he groaned loudly and slammed his head on his desk with bang.

"Naruto! Don't break the desk! Team Eight will be Inuzuka Kiba... Aburume Shino... and Hyuuga Hinata. Your Jounin instructor will be Yuuhi Kurenai."

The shy heiress looked over to see Kiba with a disheartened look on his face and Shino nodding, apparently he had figured out why they were teamed together. If anyone would, it was him.

"Team Nine is still in rotation from last year. Team Ten will be Nara Shikimaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Yamanaka Ino. Your Jounin instructor is Sarutobi Asuma."

Ino's attetion was drawn from Naruto and brought to Iruka just in time to catch the team she was on. She glanced over to see Shikimaru and Chouji glance at each other and smile before returning to their activities. The mind walker sighed and zoned out again, her attention returning to the blond. She knew it was Naruto, but there was something bothering her. He had dissapeared from the village for two weeks without telling anyone and then he just shows up the day of team assignments with a completely new look. Plus he acted differently and wasn't obsessing over Sakura, as was his usual fashion. She shrugged it off and her thoughts went to her team, what had she done wrong? Why did Sakura get to be on the same team as Sasuke and meanwhile she was stuck with two of the laziest poeple in the class?

"Okay guys, you have your teams and for now all you have to do is wait for your new Senseis to arrive. Some will be waiting longer then others but I suggest you all take this time to get aquainted with each other. This will probably be the last time we see each other for a while so I just wanted to say it's been great teaching you guys." The scarred teacher walked to the door but stopped after opening it and turned to Naruto. "Oh, and Naruto. When you get done with Kakashi I would like to speak to you. I will be with the Hokage by then. A bit of advice for your team... get comfortable." With that he winked and walked out the door, closing it behind him and leaving the class to their own.

* * *

After Iruka left the group of Genin seperated into their individual teams and waited for their team leaders. Naruto and Shikimaru were two of the last ones to get up.

"Well that sucks. I was hoping me and you would get on the same team, at least you got Chouji though."

"Yeah, that's true. Though we still have to deal with Ino."

Naruto just grinned.

"Pfft, that's no problem. I have to deal with Sasuke _and _Sakura, at the same time!"

The young Nara just turned his head up in thought before shrugging.

"Yeah, I guess you got me there. Good luck by the way, I think you're going to need it."

Rather than some over-the-top yelling about whatever it was he believed, he just shot back a confident grin.

"It's nothing I can't handle."

Shikimaru just stared at one of his best and oldest friends, eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

"Naruto... what happened to you?"

Naruto stood up slowly and turned his back to the large congregation to face his team and paused. He thought on some possible answers to the question but eventually just chose to go with he simplest and truest. He turned his head to look at Shikimaru over his shoulder.

"I grew up..."

With that he walked over to Team Seven where Sakura was once again trying to convince Sasuke to go on a date with her and failing admirably. All who had heard the question spoken stayed quiet for a moment thinking on his answer. Only one thing came to mind. Was the change good... or bad?

* * *

Sasuke was sitting in his chair and tring to ignore the pink haired fangirl to his left. Truthfully he didn't really understand why he had been put on this team. He had been assigned to the most annoying fangirl in the world and the dead-last moron. It didn't make any sense but since he didn't really care. Both of his teamates were idiots, and were going to drag him down. Now he was going to be expected to compensate for the other two when going on missions. His thoughts were interrupted when Naruto walked over heavily and dropped down into the chair opposite him. Like when he sat next to Shikimaru he propped his legs up on the desk and leaned back comfortably.

"Okay listen up you two." Sasuke tried to look like he was ignoring him but listened. Something had happened to him over the past two weeks and it was possible that he was about to explain it.

"You two don't like me, and I sure as hell don't like either of you." Sakura's mouth fell open at the declaration and focused her attention on the boy speaking. He had never shown any signs of anything other than die-hard devotion of her in the past, so why had he said that?

"But we are going to be stuck with each other for a while, so I suggest we at least try to get along. Sakura, you need to wise up. We're legally considered adults now and it is time you started acting like one. You have the potential to be a great Kunoichi but you wil never be one unless you get over your obsession with Sasuke. You focus on your looks more then your ability, content with the idea that someone will always be there to save you. That's not true. There will be a moment when Sasuke and I will be distracted and unable to help you. You will need to be able to protect yourself or you will die. Our world is as simple as that and the sooner you learn that, the higher your chances of living to make Chuunin. There are people willing to help you if you just show your sincerity. I will help you if you ask and I am willing to bet that our Sensei, whoever he is, will do the same. I just hope you realize that before something happens to you or someone you care about that forces you to. Don't pass it up until then, it won't be pretty. Our world never is."

Sakura just sat there silent and dumbstruck. The old Naruto had never said anything like that to her before and honestly, it kind of hurt. Naruto showed no sign of caring though and turned to the other male member of their team.

"And you... Look, what happened in your past is nothing less then a tragedy but you are taking it way to far. I understand what you must have gone through after the destruction of your clan but you need to let it go. The rage you feel will destroy you if you let it control you. Mourn yes, never forget them yes, but devote your life to revenge? Is that what your family would have wanted? Is that what your _mother_ would have wanted? From now on every choice you make will dictate the rest of your life. This is a fresh start for all of us, don't dismiss it. Think long and hard on what you want, your hopes, your dreams, your plans, your _life_. In the past two weeks I have been forceed to come to terms with nightmares I had never even imagined and it was hard. But I survived as I know you can do. Both of you."

Here Sakura looked up and Sasuke had a dark look of rage on his face. Unable to contain it he lashed out at the boy before him.

"What the hell do you know? Don't talk to me about nightmares or my family. I will never know what my family wanted because that bastard killed them in cold blood. You will never know what it means to lose your mother because you never had one! So don't give me that crap. I don't give a damn what happens to my life. All I want is to kill him myself, nothing matters beyond that. And if you ever stand in my way, I will kill you as well."

Sakura looked at her crush with wide eyes, surprised at the sheer hate he was aiming at Naruto. This was a side of Sasuke that she had never seen before. Naruto however just shook his head in disgust and turned away from the young avenger. He had offered and tried to help Sasuke turn from his path of darkness but one had to be willing to change before he could help them. He had done all he could, the rest was up to Sasuke.

* * *

Team Eight was getting along a little better then Seven, but there was still some problems to be worked out. When Hinata had gone to the table where Kiba and Shino sat, Kiba was once again trying to start up a conversation with the stoic Aburume, and once again failing miserably. Shino would only answer a direct question and even then with minimal detail.

"H-hello Shino-kun, Kiba-kun."

The two boys looked up as Hinata sat down and Kiba grinned.

"Hey Hinata, me and Bug-boy here were just getting to know each other."

Though Shino showed no outward sign of emotion from the comment, a very quiet buzzing was heard emmiting from his jacket causing Kiba to wince and Akamaru hide his head in Kiba's jacket. Kiba glanced around for something to distract him from the male before his eyes landed on the new Naruto 'chatting' with his new teammates.

"Hey, you guys see what happened to Naruo? I wonder what happened to make him change so much so fast. I mean two weeks ago the guy was a midget and now look at him, he's freaking HUGE!"

Hinata blushed slightly when Naruto was brought up, but was able to hide it from her teamates, or so she thought.

"It would seem that Naruto-san underwent a rapid change in not only body but also personality. I am sure there is a logical explanation for it, but as to what that is... I don't know."

Kiba looked at Shino in shock for a minute.

"Dude, you said more then like, three words in a sentence. I didn't even know that was possible for you. Congratulations!"

Shino just sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose with two fingers before sinking back into silence. Kiba turned to Hinata and was about to say something before he was interrupted by the classroom door opening and an attractive woman walking in.

"I'm looking for Team Eight?"

"Yo, over here!" Kiba yelled, raising one hand.

"I'm your Jounin Sensei so please follow me."

Shino nodded and walked over to the woman with Kiba in tow who was busy admiring her form. Hinata glanced over to Naruto and flashed him a worried look. Naruto caught it and just smiled out of a corner of his mouth and gave her a thumbs up, boosting her spirits. Hinata smiled back and walked over to where her team was waiting before they all left the room together.

* * *

Team Ten sat together and mostly silent. Ino had tried to start up a conversation but Chouji had just answered a little bit and kept eating while Shikimaru kept trying to go to sleep and muttering 'Troublesome' and doing his best to ignore her whenever she would ask him something. She was just about to give up when the door opened again.

"Where is Team Ten?"

The group turned to see a tall, well built man with a cigarette in his mouth who was seemingly irratated with being assigned a Genin Team.

"Here we are!" Ino yelled loudly, causing her teammates to wince slightly.

"Well come on then, we're burning daylight."

With that the burly man left the room, causing the other three to have to hurry to catch up, though Shikimaru just walked casually as usual with his hands in his pockets.

When they had left the rest of the Genin teams began filing out with their Sensei's whenever they arrived until finally only Team Seven remained.

* * *

After two hours Team Seven was still sitting alone in the long emptied classroom. Apart from their initial conversation, the group had barely exchanged any words. Sasuke sat by a window in his usual seat, making plans for his future, as well as thinking on what could have happened to the blond idiot, though the latter was a bit reluctantly. Sakura was sitting right next to him, staring dreamily at the last Uchiha and occasionally throwing an irritated glance at Naruto. Naruto meanwhile was in the corner farthest from the other two atop a desk with his legs crossed underneath him. His hands were resting above his knees with the palms facing upward and floating just above them were two silver throwing knives, tips pointing to his palms. The one over his right hand was spinning slowly counter-clockwise while the other was spinning clockwise at the same speed. His eyes were closed and he was breathing slowly and steadily. He had started doing that shortly after the last team had left the room.

- Flashback: 2 hours -

When the door closed behind the last team, Naruto gave a short sigh.

"I suppose we are in for a long wait." He turned to his teammates. "I would suggest you find something to occupy yourselves. If what I have heard about our Leader is correct, we are in for quite a wait."

Sasuke just snorted in disgust.

"Shut up Dobe, he'll probably be here in the next couple of minutes." Sakura was quick to back him up.

"Yeah Naruto-baka, our Sensei wouldn't show up late on our first day together."

Naruto shrugged and turned his back to the pair, looking around the room for a suitable place to train himself.

'Okay, now the question is do I want to train right here in front of them? I don't really want them to see what I can do but it's not like they won't see eventually anyway. Yeah, I might as well get some practice in before our 'Sensei' shows up.' He frowned at the word. 'That just doesn't feel right. I mean if he was teaching me something I wouldn't have a problem with it but nothing he can do he can teach me. Whatever, I'm not calling him that. If he has a problem with it too bad.'

As he was looking around the room he saw a suitable spot in a corner of the room away from his teammates so he started rearranging the desks while the other two just watched on in curiosity.

When he was done he had formed an island with all but one desk moved away and the last one isolated. The blond hopped onto the desk and sat cross legged in his favorite meditation position. When he was comfortable he reached into his jacket and pulled out two throwing knives, sitting them next to him. Then he removed his coat and folded it up and dropped it off the side of the desk to the floor, causing a muffled thump when it hit the ground. He took a few deep breaths to prepare himself and picked up the knives by the tip of the blade, holding them for a moment.

Sasuke and Sakura watched silently waiting for something to happen. When nothing did Sakura got frustrated and was about to yell when Naruto let go of the blades. Instead of falling to the desk they just stayed up, hovering about an inch above the center of Naruto's palms. After a few seconds they started to rise until they were a good six inches off his hands. When the stopped moving up they began to spin. At first they were uneven and sloppy but after a few minutes they started to stabilize until they were moving smoothly.

As Naruto was performing the exercise he frowned internally. The confusion radiating from his teammates was making it hard to concentrate on his training. Eventually he decided to answer the obvious question coming from them just so they would stop staring at him. He released the flow of the energy and caught the knives as they fell.

"This is a training exercise my Masters taught me. By concentrating and focusing the Fo-... your chakra through your palms you can manipulate the air currents around the kunai. This strains your control and refines your current ability, causing you to become better quickly."

Sasuke nodded and turned around to look out the window but Sakura kept watching him.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"As I said before, my Masters taught me to do it over the last week. It's simple but far from easy."

Sakura watched as he lifted the knives again and they restarted their movements, mesmerized by their constant spinning before going back to staring at Sasuke, her mind however stayed on the blond. Something had happened over the last two weeks to change the boy and it was bugging her that he wouldn't explain it.

When Sakura turned around Naruto almost sighed in relief. He was worried that his slip had been noticed but apparently he was safe... for now. Honestly he wasn't sure how much to tell his teammates about the Force. Sakura would probably react neutrally, but she didn't have the necessary willpower to use it efficiently. Sasuke meanwhile would only see it as a tool to use to kill his brother. That wasn't something Naruto wanted in his new Jedi Order. He sighed in frustration and pushed the thought out of his mind. He had plenty of time to worry about that, but right now he had work to do. With his mind at ease he returned his focus to his exercise and reciting the Sith Code.

'Peace is a lie, there is only Passion.

Through Passion I gain Strength

Through Strength I gain Power

Through Power I gain Victory

Through Victory my chains are broken

The Force shall set me free.'

He had found that by dividing his attention during his Force training, he was straining his subconscious mind, causing it to become a reflex rather than just a learned action. He had a feeling that his Masters would frown upon him using such an advanced method to train since he was supposed to still be considered a novice, but he felt he was ready.

- End Flashback -

* * *

As Sakura watched the blond meditate, her mind was spinning with what she had told him. Was she really that wrong in her perceptions of the ninja world? Sure she wasn't the best at fighting, but she wasn't that bad... was she? Her thoughts where interrupted when Naruto's eyes opened swiftly and he flicked his fingers in the direction of the door without warning.

As though connected to ninja wire of some kind, the two levitating knives were catapulted in the direction of the door just as it began to open inward. The moment a head appeared in the doorway the two small blades embedded themselves in the wall on either side of it, causing the man to freeze and giving the three Genin a chance to give him a once-over. The man had unruly silver hair that was barely held out of his eyes with a Konoha headband which was pulled down over his left eye, hiding it from view. The lower half of his mask was hidden by a basic bandanna like mask leaving only his right eye visible.

"My first thought of you?...You need to lay off the caffeine.

"I assume that something unavoidable held you up on your way to meet with us, yes?"

The masked man pushed the door open fully and stood in the doorway looking over the three Genin without answering. When he was done with his initial silent inspection he turned to Naruto and gave an expression with his visible eye that would suggest a smile.

"Yes actually, you see a black cat crossed my path so I had to take a longer route"

Naruto sat silent for just a moment, as though waiting for more of an explanation before grinning and shaking his head.

"Damn, I thought HK was just over-exaggerating when he gave me a report on how lazy you were with your 'excuses'. I guess not though, it's a pity. I was expecting more from someone of your... caliber, Hatake-san."

Kakashi frowned when Naruto called him by his last name but ignored it for now. After all, there was a good chance he would never have to be corrected anyway.

"Meet me on the roof in five minutes so we can get to know one another better."

With that said the Jounin disappeared in a swirl of leaves leaving the three alone again. Naruto shook his head again still grinning before he got off the desk and popped his neck.

"Come on guys, we would hate to make Hatake-san wait."

Naruto chuckled to himself at the statement and pulled his leather back on before heading to the doorway. On the way he stopped by the pair of kunai which were buried all the way to the leather wrappings.

'Damn...' He thought to himself as he extricated them from the wall. 'I didn't mean to throw them that hard. I need to work on my control more, that's for sure.' He holstered the weapons and walked out the hallway.

The other two Genin had just watched the exchange in astonishment. Regardless of how much Naruto had changed , they had never expected him to actually throw a kunai at their Jounin Sensei. Especially not for being late! The two glanced at each other before hurrying to catch up with their departing teammate, not wanting to be left behind.

* * *

- Five minutes later -

Kakashi was leaning on a railing on the roof, counting down the seconds to go.

'Five... Four... Three... Two... Damn!'

His count was stopped prematurely by the door being pushed open and Naruto walking through, quickly followed by Sasuke and Sakura bringing up the rear breathing hard.

"What took you guys so long?"

Sasuke just shot him a dirty glare while Naruto shrugged and sat down by a low set wall around the roof edge. Sakura meanwhile, was quick to revert to her normal self.

"THIS BUILDING IS FIVE STORIES TALL!"

Kakashi and the other two boys winced and rubbed their ears from the volume of the shriek and the Jounin just shrugged.

"Okay, right now we are going to formally introduce ourselves to each other for the sake of familiarity. Who wants to go first?"

"Uh, what do you want us to say?"

Kakashi pretended to think Sakura's question over.

"You know, the basics. Name, Likes, Dislikes, Hobbies, Dreams for the future. That sort of stuff."

"Why don't you go first? You are the Sensei after all."

Kakashi gave a shrug and looked up disinterestedly.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have many likes but not a lot of dislikes. I don't really have any hobbies, maybe I should get one..." The three Genin gave a mild sweat drop at that. "As for my dreams... you aren't mature enough to understand them."

'So all we learned was his name? Great...' The thought was shared by all three of the younger ninjas.

"Okay Pinky, you're up next." Kakashi said with another eye-smile, causing Sakura to glare from the nickname.

"My name is Haruno Sakura. I like Sasuke-kun and flower arrangements. I dislike Ino-pig and Naruto-baka! My hobbies are..." She cast a glance at Sasuke and giggled softly. "My dreams are..." Again she cast a glance at Sasuke but this time she giggles even harder and blushed slightly, causing the males to sweat-drop.

"Okay... Emo, your up next. You know the drill."

Sasuke glared at him as well before throwing up his usual look of indifference.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I like few things and dislike many things. I have no hobbies unless you count training and I don't have a dream, rather an ambition. I will find a certain man, and when I do I will kill him."

Kakashi dropped his head and sighed. Hopefully at some point in his training Sasuke would give up on avenging his clan but so far it looked like that chance was remote.

"Sure you will. Okay Naruto, your up next."

Naruto showed no outward sign of caring that Kakashi already knew his name and instead looked up. Honestly he wasn't sure what to say. A month ago it would have been obvious. He would have yelled about liking Sakura and ramen and wanting to become Hokage. Now however, it wasn't as blatant.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I enjoy training with my Masters and friends, and preparing myself for my future. I dislike people who are unwilling to see from alternate perspectives and those too stubborn to admit they are at fault, as well as those who harm the innocent for personal or monetary gain. My hobbies are much the same as my likes, as well as discovering all I can about the world around us..."

Naruto stopped talking and gazed over the railing he was leaning against, opposite the other three with his back turned to them. He looked out over the village and the cloudy blue sky silently for a short moment, gathering his thoughts.

"And your dreams for the future?" Kakashi prodded.

"Sorry, just giving it some thought. I guess you could say that my dream for the future is to bring together two great factions, riddled with strife and conflict and death. In doing this, I hope to show to them that in following their separate ways they are bringing themselves and innocent people needless pain and destruction."

The boy turned to see the small group staring at him with a look of complete shock.

"What? You asked..."

Kakashi was the first to shake himself out of his stupor and just sighed deeply again.

"Well, that was most... enlightening. Anyway, I would suggest the three of you get a solid nights sleep. Tomorrow you are going to meet me at Training Ground Eighteen at Seven sharp for your Genin Exam."

"But Sensei, we already took the Genin Exam, why do we have to take it again?" Sakura was quick to ask her question, putting Naruto out of her mind for right now. She would get answers from him later.

"That was just to find out if you were capable of being a ninja. This one is to find out if you actually going to be one or not." With that he turned to leave before adding over his shoulder. "Oh, and don't eat breakfast unless you want to throw up." The Jounin was about to Shunshin away when Naruto called out to him.

"Hey Hatake-san, I was going to see the old man about my... vacation. Do you want to come?"

Kakashi shrugged and threw him an eye smile before disappearing in a swirl of dark green leaves which were blown away by a gust of wind. Naruto chuckled quietly and turned to his teammates to find that they were staring at him. He looked over the railing to his right to gauge the distance.

"Naruto, what happened to you? You disappeared for two whole weeks, where did you go? What do you mean 'Masters'? What are the two factions you were talking about? I didn't know you had a clan."

Sasuke frowned at Sakura but didn't show any signs of leaving. He wanted to know the answers to the same questions as well as some of his own.

Naruto threw them a grin with his fangs parting his lips ever so slightly.

"Like I said, I grew up."

With that simple remark he braced one arm atop the metal railing and flung himself over the side of the tall building and into the air, eliciting a scream from the pink haired girl and a slight gasp from the dark haired boy. The two rushed over to the railing where Naruto had jumped only to see him hit the sidewalk with his legs bending at the knees and bouncing up easily. He threw a glance over his shoulder at the two and gave them a casual wave before walking away, completely unharmed and his thumbs hooked casually in his pockets.

Sakura released a breath she didn't realize she was holding before staggering over to the stairwell to head home. Today had been a long day and surprisingly tiring. All she wanted to do was take a hot shower and get plenty of sleep before she had to meet her team in the morning.

"Bye Sasuke-kun, see you tomorrow!"

Sasuke just gave her his usual grunt and stared at the back of the blond boy, lost in his thoughts. The academy building was five stories tall. There was no way Naruto should have been able to jump off of the roof onto solid paving and stand up unharmed. Even he doubted he could land that fall, let alone walk away from it as easily as Naruto did. Something had happened over the past fortnight and it was nothing as simple as Naruto 'growing up'. No, there was more to it and damn it, he would find out what it was. Even if he had to beat the information out of him.

With that final dark thought the young avenger left the rooftop to get in some final training hours before retiring for the night. Tomorrow morning was going to be interesting and he wanted to be well ready for it. There was no way he was going to fail now. Not after all he had gone through to get where he was. This was the next step to killing his brother and no one, nothing was going to stand in his way.

* * *

- Konoha Main Street -

Naruto walked down the largest and busiest street in the village, heading towards two of his favorite people in the entire city. Apparently the rumors of his disappearance had been wide-spread, as he kept getting odd looks from the other people walking down the road.

When he saw the familiar banners of Ichiraku's Ramen stand, he grinned happily and quickened his pace, eager to get his fix. He hadn't had ramen in two weeks, and he was craving it badly. He ducked into the small restaurant and strode to his usual place at the bar.

The old man caught his eye, and he instantly started to worry. His eyes were dark from lack of sleep, and he lacked the usual spring in his step that he always had whenever Naruto saw him. His first thought was that something had happened to Ayame, his daughter, but that was proven wrong when the girl walked in from the back of the kitchen, holding a large pot full of noodles.

She too looked like something had happened, and her face was sad and eyes were puffy and swollen from crying so much. She also walked a bit slower, without the pep he had come to associate with her so much.

"Hey old man! Who died?"

Naruto almost fell off his chair laughing when Teuchi spun around as though he was stung by a bee, eyes searching for who had called him old man. His eyes lingered and stopped on Naruto when he saw him, and they widened slowly as recognition flooded his features.

"Naruto?" His voice was a whisper, but his face lost twenty years of age when he smiled.

"NARUTO! I can't believe it!"

"Believe it!"

The blond yelled in his usual matter, bringing back a hint of who he used to be, only for the old man and his daughter. The young woman came running when she heard his voice, and almost threw the hot noodles at one of the few people eating at the bar in her haste to grapple him.

"Oh my god! Naruto!"

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her tightly, causing him to gasp out as the air rushed out of his lungs.

"Ay-Ayame...can't...breathe..."

Teuchi chuckled at his daughter's reaction before coming to the boy's rescue.

"Ayame, I think you should let him go now, you're suffocating the poor lad."

"Oh! Oops, sorry Naruto."

She backed away from him with a heavy blush, then ran into the back of the shop to prepare Naruto's ramen. Teuchi meanwhile was quick to start questioning Naruto on his absence.

"Naruto, you disappeared for two weeks! I thought you were dead, we both did. Ayame was worried sick." He pointedly ignored her shout of indignation from the back of the store. "So what happened?"

The tall blond grinned happily as a steaming bowl of ramen was set down before him on the table, splashing a tiny bit of the soup on the counter, though it went unnoticed. He tore into the bowl ravenously and the old man and his daughter waited patiently for him to finish that on before he told his tale.

"Well it happened like this right? Two weeks ago I only just failed the Genin exams, right? Well after that..."

By the time he had eaten his fill of the delicious noodles, he had finished his story, killed about an hour, so he made his way in the general direction of the Hokage's Tower. It was about time he said hello to the old man.

* * *

_A/N : _It seems like the majority of you don't particularly have any preference of main pairing. A number of you vocalized your opinions, but they weren't enough to convince me to change what I have planned. Feel free to continue to guess, the pairing won't come to frutition for another couple of chapters yet, so you have plenty of time to tell me what you think. I know a couple of you must be rather displeased with my choice of Teams, but I ask you to trust me. I assure you, this will not follow a common route, stick around and you'll see what I mean.

_Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai_


	4. History

**A New Order : History**

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

_A/N : Longer note at the end, but for now enjoy._

_

* * *

_

After the nostalgic meal and half an hour of wandering idly to clear his mind, Naruto finally arrived at the Hokage Tower. The massive structure stood in the center of the village standing tall and proud for everyone to see and inside was the iconic basis of all governmental and militaristic programs such as the councils and Ninja mission assignments.

Naruto stood before the front door admiring the sight for a moment before entering and making his way through the throngs of emissaries, ambassadors, and villagers dropping off mission request. After a process that took a little _too_ long I his opinion, he finally reached the secretary's desk. As he approached, the woman sitting behind it greeted him automatically without looking up.

"Good afternoon, how may I help..." She trailed off when she saw the greatly altered Naruto standing before her. She didn't recognize him at first because of his cosmetic changes, but when she did she scowled.

"What do _you_ want?" Naruto frowned back and returned the glare.

"I'm here to see the Hokage." He tried to keep his voice even and emotionless but his efforts were rewarded by a venomous sneer from the brunette secretary.

"The Hokage is busy right now. For the entire day in fact, so you might as well just... leave."

Naruto waved his right hand in front of her face once and spoke softly.

"You will let me in to see him." The secretary's eyes glazed over and she smiled sweetly.

"Sure thing, why don't I let you in to see him. I think he's expecting you actually."

"Thank you, have a nice day." Naruto said while heading over to the closed door. Just as he turned the handle he heard a quiet, "Your welcome! What a polite young man..." The blond Force user smiled.

'I love the Jedi Mind Trick.'

Inside the small and somewhat crowded room Sarutobi, Iruka, Kakashi, Kyle, and Bane were spaced out each conversing with one another, and obviously waiting on his arrival. The old Hokage sat behind his desk as usual and talking to Bane who was seated opposite him. Kakashi and Kyle were leaning against the east wall, discussing an orange book that the Cyclops held loosely in his left hand. Iruka meanwhile had stood up and was making his way over to the blond.

"Naruto! What the hell is wrong with you? You disappeared for two weeks and didn't even bother letting us know you were alive. I was worried sick, I thought you had... I thought you were dead." Naruto grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, a habit left over from his days masquerading as an idiot.

"Sorry Iruka-sensei, I wanted to tell everyone I was okay but Master Bane wouldn't let me. Honest!"

The scarred Chunin spun around and flared at both of the Force users in turn causing Kyle to hold up his hands in defense and point at Bane.

"Hey! I was all for letting the kid get a hold of you guys, blame him! He's the commie, not me."

Bane just sat back in his chair and looked back at him.

"As unfortunate as it was, it was necessary. Had you known he was alive you would have demanded he be put in a hospital where he could be monitored. This would have been detrimental to the boy's training. We barely had enough time to work with as it is, any we would have lost could have seriously harmed his development as he was...is... at a vital point in his training. I apologize for any and all grief you have suffered due to our actions, but I did what I must and I stand by my decision."

Iruka was far from appeased with the statement and made as much known. He sat down in his chair and crossed his arms, still glaring heatedly at the robed man.

"Oh? And what was so important about this 'Training' that you couldn't even get me a simple message that my favorite student was _alive_? Who the hell are you anyway?"

"Iruka! That's enough. I understand your displeasure but these men are guests to our village and shall be treated as such. You will get answers soon enough but for now just calm down else I will have you removed until the end of this meeting. Okay?"

Sarutobi watched the young man with a kind but stern look in his eye. When Iruka took a deep breath and nodded, the old man nodded in approval.

"Forgive me Hokage-sama. Naruto was, by far, my favorite student and his disappearance hit me rather hard." Bane nodded and a rare smile graced his usually emotionless visage.

"I understand. But as I said, his training was vital in this period. There have been many before him who lost themselves at the same point due to circumstances far less then what Naruto had been forced to endure, and I simply could not have allowed risk."

The Hokage smiled sadly as he pulled his wooden pipe out of a desk drawer.

"Yes, he always has been quite the lucky young man... in some ways at least. In others the opposite is just as if not more so, true." The statement made Kyle shake his head.

"No, you are mistaken. There is no luck, no coincidence, only the Force. This boy was destined for great things. That, I am sure we can all agree on."

Naruto just remained standing where he was and once again rubbed his neck sheepishly, embarrassed with all the attention being directed at him. Seeing his discomfort, the Hokage cleared his throat, bringing all eyes to him.

"Now, if you would all get comfortable I believe our two guests have much to explain."

The small group nodded and separated into various positions around the room, getting comfortable in their own fashions. Sarutobi settled deeper into his chair and took a drag on his now kindled pipe, releasing the oak-ish scent of the tobacco inside it. Bane remained in his seat but sat upright with his fingers twined together. Kyle was seated beside him much more casually. The Jedi's arms were crossed and he had leaned back as far as the chair could go without falling backwards, propping himself up on the desk with his heels. Iruka stayed where he was without moving, Kakashi leaned against the same wall, though a bit more comfortably, and Naruto took the only couch in the entire room which was placed parallel to the west wall with it's back against it. He draped himself over it out straight with one leg falling off at the knee and the other dangling off the arm rest opposite his head with his boot not quite touching the leather. The boy crossed his arms behind his head and closed his eyes, amusing himself by trying to gleam information on the other people waiting downstairs in the lobby. He had already heard everything that was probably about to be asked and explained, so he might as well do something productive until something interesting came up.

"Okay, well why don't you tell us who you two are? I don't believe we spoke much the last time I met you and I don't recall ever meeting your friend here.."

"Wait, you already met with him?" Iruka asked, shock evident on his face.

"Yes Iruka, I met with him on the night of Naruto's 'Disappearance'. The man before you had entered my office, and proceeded to explain not only Naruto's whereabouts, but also a number of other rather important details, including why he was in the state he was, and what he planned to do to amend the situation. I must admit, I was rather unappeased with the explanation he brought, but he was kind enough to convince me otherwise." The old man answered. Iruka sent him a look of outrage.

"If you knew he was alive, why didn't you tell me?" He spun to send the same look at Bane, and Sarutobi sighed, taking another puff on his pipe.

"Because you would have reacted exactly as Bane had predicted. I understood the importance of his training, regardless of my personal opinions. I am however curious as to who you are and why Naruto's absence was so important."

Bane nodded.

"Of course. My Sith title is Bane, my real name is of no importance and honestly is no longer who I am, I abandoned my birth name long ago. I am, or more accurately was, a powerful leader of a great organization known as the Sith."

"What is the Sith?" Kakashi asked. "I've never heard of them before."

"I will get to that, but for now I will explain the most important information if you don't mind."

Kakashi just shrugged nonchalantly and went back to listening.

"I come from a place not of this... continent. I was born and raised on a place far from here, very long ago before I left due to reasons out of my control. Throughout my travels I signed up with a great army, awakened the beginnings of my power, and came into contact with various organizations all in relation with the True Sith before finally joining the Sith order that was located here, in this country. As I grew I became powerful and eventually I took my position as a Sith Lord. The Sith order had a great enemy known as the Jedi order of whom my companion was also a great leader."

At this point Kyle had soon become bored with Bane's background as he had heard it all before. He had decided to entertain himself by seeing how far back he could lean in his chair without tipping it over and falling on his ass. Just as he stretched himself out all the way he heard Bane mention Jedi and felt all eyes on him. He gave a half-hearted wave to the gathered Shinobi.

"Yo..."

Bane just sighed in annoyance at his companion's antics and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"As I was saying, both of these factions were based on the same thing, the Force."

Everyone in the room except for the three Force users looked on in confusion at that statement.

"What is the Force?" The old Hokage asked.

"The Force is an energy that flows through all living things in the universe. It binds us together and gives us life. Everything from the mightiest beast to the smallest of plants have it inside them."

"You mean Chakra?" Iruka asked.

Bane just shook his head and demonstrated by extending one hand and focusing the force to take hold of Sarutobi's pipe. With a light tug he pulled it from the old man and held it aloft, levitating a foot off of the desk. After a short moment Sarutobi reached out and grabbed it, trying to pull it from the air only to find it resisting. Frowning, he put a bit more effort into it and pulled it free from whatever was holding it up. Bane smiled a little bit before continuing.

"That is the Force. By knowing how to manipulate it, the impossible becomes possible and an almost limitless strength is released from within a person. By becoming in tune with the Force around them, a person can use it to heal perilous wounds by feeding it into the cells surrounding it, causing them to grow, mature, and duplicate many times their normal speed. They can use it to slow down or speed up bio-electric muscle synapses, causing a person to move faster or slower then normal. With enough practice, the Force can even be used to manipulate a persons mind to forget, remember, heal, or even obey their every command. This is restricted by a persons will power of course, but it is possible.

All powers that are known belong to a specific side of the Force according to their alignment. The Light side is that of peace and kindness. It revolves around passive abilities that can heal, defend, or boost the abilities of a Jedi or their allies.

The Dark side focuses on aggressive techniques to damage, detriment, or even kill their enemies. With it one can create bolts of energy that take the form of lightning to emerge from their fingertips and strike someone, they can pinch off certain veins or arteries to cease the proper flow of blood to areas of the body, leading to death or paralysis, or they can even drain the very life energy out of a person, leaving them an empty husk. A popular Dark side technique was to use the Force to lift someone up and crush their windpipe, effectively hanging them without a rope, and only with the power of their mind.

And finally, there is a group of powers known universally to both sides. These are both passive and passive aggressive techniques that debilitate foes so they are unable, unwilling, or uncaring of fighting. These include Push, Pull, Stun, and the Mind Trick."

The gathered group except for, once again the Force users, were completely shocked at what they head. The very idea of one person being able to kill without even moving was terrifying but what shocked them the most, was that there were three people in the room that held that power. Bane, Kyle, and...

Naruto had almost dozed off when he felt a disturbance, indicating that Bane had just demonstrated the power of the Force. After the short explanation of what exactly the Force could do there was a short silence, then he felt every pair of eyes directed to him. The blond decided to explain before things got out of hand.

"Before you jump to conclusions let me explain: I. No, I don't know most of the techniques that Master Bane just described, II. There are some of those that they have no intention of teaching me for a while now, and III. I would REALLY rather that this information didn't go spreading all across the village. I'm disliked well enough as it is for reasons we are all very well aware of. If any of the more... colorful villagers found out that I could, not that I can...yet, kill them with a single thought all hell would break loose."

"Of course, I assume you all agree with this. After all, Naruto makes a valid point."

Everyone in the room nodded at Sarutobi's statement.

"Though I do want to be able to tell people at my discretion. If I am to earn the trust of certain people, I need to give them some answers and I plan to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me Kami..."

Naruto's gaze was steady and unflinching as he defended his right. Sarutobi nodded his approval to the boy and looked back to Bane for him to continue with his story but Kakashi interrupted him.

"Hang on, if everyone has the Force, why haven't we heard of this before. Surely with that sort of power someone would have made the discovery by now.?"

"Oh but they have..." Bane answered, smiling darkly. "I believe that at least one person most people in this room are familiar with has been able to use it for at least a little while now. In fact, he was the one that caused quite the little disaster not too long ago. About thirteen years to be exact. What was his name again? It always slips my mind... I think it was... Orochimaru?"

The gathered group all gasped apart from Sarutobi. The old man's eyes darkened and a low growl escaped his throat.

'I knew letting him live was a mistake, but is he really capable of that much? And as for him releasing the Kyuubi, I had heard the rumors but...'

Seeing the shocked looks on their faces, Bane laughed darkly for a moment before setting them partially at ease.

"Don't worry. As of yet he doesn't know what he has found. All he knows is that at some point during his 'experimentation' he found a previously undiscovered source of energy. The Force it seems, is closely tied to your Chakra, which is a highly diluted and mutated descendant. Chakra is the body trying to replicate raw Force energy after being dormant for so long for reasons I will explain shortly. When the very first 'bloodlimits' were founded, the creator used that energy but rather poorly, combining it with elements from nature; fire, water, earth, wind, and lighting. Through this combination, Chakra was created for the first time. Since then humans have reverted from using the Force, to using Chakra instead. Because of this hybrid, it would seem that the majority of humans alive now are incapable of using Chakra."

"If most of us are incapable of using it, why is Naruto an exception?" Sarutobi asked.

"Ah-ha, I was wondering if someone was going to ask that. There seems to be a rather obvious reason why Naruto is able to use it while but none of you are. Think, what could that reason be?"

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed as he mad the connection and considered the implications.

"Of course! The Kyuubi. He contains the Kyuubi, that is the only thing I can think of that makes him different from us."

Sarutobi glanced over to the school teacher while Kakashi just shrugged.

"Precisely. Over countless centuries our two factions had fought one another for planetary dominance until both of our armies had suffered terrible loses. Our fatality rate was simply too high to continue these seeming endless clashes and our recruitment rate was far too low to sustain our numbers due to the rare circumstances needed in order to fully train soldiers to serve our factions. Eventually each side, Sith and Jedi, was near to the point of extinction though it seemed that the Jedi would emerge victorious. "

"You see, though the Sith would employ stronger teachings and techniques, it also rewarded a personal darkness which fed their powers, often causing those with foul dispositions to fight each other to contest for the throne of leadership. The common belief being that the weak were meant to serve the strong. Their teachings were based on powerful emotions; anger, hatred, and others. These teachings were misinterpreted by many however, leading them to believe that all the Sith stood for was evil. This led to many civil wars inside the Sith body causing it to crumble from within. The Sith order was favored by many criminal organizations due to their light restrictions and complete lack of caring for domination of the weak."

"The Jedi however, were of a much lighter disposition. They stressed an inner peace and caring for everyone and everything. They taught that they were meant to use the powers they were given to serve as peace keepers and bring harmony to the entire planet. Sadly, they also believed that because the Sith made such high use of their emotions in battle, that that was what caused them to fall to the Dark side. As a result, they taught that in order to fully serve the Light side you needed to put aside all emotion you may have and instead focus on an inner peace. Though they favored peace over conflict, they saw that it would be impossible to live alongside the Sith due to our destructive tendencies. Most of those of neither order would favor the Jedi because of the kindness and selflessness they would often show toward anyone who was in need of assistance or protection."

"Because of the lack of Force users on the planet, the Jedi began employing regular foot soldiers to bolster their army with the Jedi themselves serving as charismatic leaders, commanders, and medics. Seeing an inevitable defeat at the hands of being outnumbered, the Sith turned to recruiting also. By this time however, only the disreputable and the hated would even think of joining the Sith. Rather then accept such a drop in quality, the Sith decided that if they couldn't recruit an army, they would build one."

The gathered Shinobi were speechless as the ancient Sith Lord spun his tale, held silent in awe.

"Great factories then started manufacturing beings such as the one the Hokage has been informed of known as Droids. Droids are machines made to serve man in many different ways. Some were built as front-line infantry, others served as commanders, medics, scouts, body guards, mechanics, pilots, the sheer possibilities were endless. After countless more battles and skirmishes however, the Sith were once again brought to the edge of defeat and extinction with only one in every one hundred or so soldiers being organic. One fateful day it was brought to my attention that a section in my army that I was previously unaware of had finalized their goal. I'm not sure how, but somehow they had evaded my attention by working the most and their hardest when I was preoccupied with major battles. Their objective was to create a series of creatures powerful enough in the dark side of the Force that they could destroy cities effortlessly, yet still being under our control. They were to be known simply as... Bijuu."

Once again, the gathered Shinobi, including Naruto who hadn't learned of this, gasped quietly. The Nine Tailed-Beasts was a near taboo subject in their world. So much so, that no one had put any effort into finding out where they had come from or why they existed. It was said that they were made by the Shinigami in order to punish humanity whenever they went too far or meddled in something divine and despite it being just a rumor, most assumed it to be true.

"Originally there were meant to be ten, but just as the ninth one was completed we received news of a Jedi attack force, larger than any seen before, was marching on our capital city brushing aside all defenses and intent on wiping us out for completely. That day was when I had my biggest regret. I have only three things I truly regret in my life. The first is killing my father, the second giving up love for power, and my last and greatest was giving that order. My men and Droids were ordered to defend the city with their dying breaths. Success was not guaranteed but Failure was unacceptable. When most of our forces were almost completely routed I ordered a retreat to the main tower for a final defense. That was when I was told of the project Bijuu. They never told me that it wasn't finished. They never told me that we didn't have complete control. All they told me was that our greatest weapons were complete and with it, we could win the war that had been raging for over a thousand years. So I gave the order to release them on our enemies."

"I had never seen anything more terrifying, nor more beautiful in my life. Nine massive beasts, all fighting side by side. A huge dog guarding the back of an eight-armed serpent while a three-tailed turtle summoned great tidal waves from the decorative pools surrounding the memorial buildings and temples of our greatest Sith Lords to wash away the armored soldiers. Thousands of Jedi lives were lost that day. None turning to retreat until it was too late and a massive cat with two writhing tails had blocked their escape route with the standing bodies of their fallen comrades through the usage of dark Sith Magiks, before ordering them to charge the men they had fought and died alongside."

"When the last Jedi succumbed to the gnashing jaws of the beast's, we cheered. The day was ours! After generations upon generations of conflict we had finally won! There was no way the Jedi would be able to recover from a disaster of such magnitude. When the fighting was over, the nine beasts came before me and sunk low in submission, waiting their next orders. In my jubilation, I gave them a final order. 'Destroy them all!' I told them. I meant the last of the Jedi, the ones that no doubt had stayed behind. The council, and their honor guards. However, I made a mistake that haunts me today. When I said that, I never mentioned the Jedi specifically. They went on a rampage, slaughtering everything, Sith, Jedi, and civilian alike. Nothing anyone did would stop them, I gave them the order to halt, but they had been designed and bred to never stop until their mission was complete. Our greatest warriors went to fight them, but none returned."

"Eventually the decision was made to unleash our ultimate technique, one that had been around since the pinnacle of Sith greatness, the Thought Bomb. It was a technique made when victory seemed impossible and upon it's use, everything in it's blast range would just... cease to exist. It would create an almost black hole of life in the epicenter that would consume all Force energy in range, including that of the user. It was my apprentice who suggested its use and I was reluctant to agree. When it was unleashed, many innocent lives would be lost. What would victory mean when all the victors died soon after. It seemed however, that they would be consumed anyway and the least we could do was make sure our murderers died with us and my people's deaths were painless. The majority of our people were civilians after all, untainted by the Dark Side. Simple people that only wanted to live their lives in safe prosperity, relying on their Sith rulers to protect them. They didn't deserve such a horrible fate as these beasts brought, so I agreed."

"I was meant to be the one to detonate it, but my apprentice was faithful to the very end. As I was preparing for the ceremony, he entered my chambers."

* * *

- Flashback Day of Detonation : Sith Temple -

The room was a black marble and almost completely silent. Along one wall was a large bed with crimson and black sheets and two sleeping women laying on it peacefully, unaware of the demise that was soon to descend upon them. On the opposite wall was a wooden dresser with a full length mirror built into it along the top. Before it stood a tall man of obvious power, staring at his reflection sadly. His eyes were sunken into his face with bags, betraying the insomnia that had been plaguing him. His strong skin was almost like paper and his eyes were devoid of the confidence that shone naturally. His attention was focused to his left by a knocking coming from the chambers tall double-doors.

"Enter..." His voice was empty and quiet, though it echoed through the room and in it was an infinite sadness, filled with regret and mourning.

The door leading into the room was pushed open and in the doorway stood another man, slightly shorter then the first. The newcomer sank to one knee, right fist pressing into the cold marble at his feet in a show of fealty and respect.

"Master, the ceremony has been prepared, but I beg you, please. Let one of the others perform the ritual, any of us would gladly die for you. Let it be me if you wish, but please I beg of you, save yourself."

The master smiled and turned to his faithful servant before laying his hand on his shoulder kindly.

"Rise my apprentice, you need bow to me no more."

The man complied, showing a young mans face, barely of manhood with thick blond hair and shining blue eyes.

"Master Bane, the Council of Elders has spoken. Long after this day and when the land is finally capable of retaining human life, there will need to be someone capable of raising and training the new Sith Order. We cannot be allowed to die and the Council has agreed upon the one to live."

Bane looked into his apprentice's eyes and reached out with the Force, testing his mind. All he found however, was a thick wall that blocked his passage, but even through that impenetrable defense an infinite sadness was concealed. Unable to confirm his suspicions, Bane went with the most obvious reason to come to mind.

"So you were the one chosen hm? There is none I would rather been entrusted to perform such a duty. Make sure to raise them properly, the Sith was never meant to be based upon the vile evil that has encroached into our teachings. Remember, _passion_ no matter the emotion, is what gives strength. The two greatest emotions to rely upon must be nurtured. Anger is but one, and naturally the easiest to obtain and feed, thus why it has become so common, but Love is that of true power. When you fight for the protection of someone far closer to you than even yourself, that is when your greatest strength will emerge. Remember this, and teach your successors as I have taught you."

The young man turned so his Master wouldn't see the tears.

"Of course Master. Even now many of us die for someone we care for far more than ourselves. Many will die and tomorrow this land will be a wasteland, but I have no doubt that they will be okay."

Bane smiled at himself, proud of his greatest student's words, regardless of the impossibility of survival. The Thought Bomb was simply far too effective at what it did, there would be no survivors. He had tried to teach all of his other students to understand the same lesson, but only the boy before him had found the true meaning behind his cryptic words. He was close enough to him that he could almost be considered a son, and honestly he would have it no other way that he would be the only one to survive with the help of the Tomb.

Deep in the earth below the great temple lay a chamber with a single specially made tomb. Its purpose was to hold a single person in stasis, and be sealed. The person in the chamber would survive the apocalypse itself and would remain in a deep sleep for as long as an outward timer was set. Once the time had counted down, it would end the 'Sleep' and revive whoever was inside the chamber, the same age, weight, everything, completely unchanged.

"However, I have one regret that I must perform before I can die."

At this Bane felt a cold chill run down his back. Die? That was impossible, he was meant to live and carry on the Sith Order. Could they have picked another? He was Bane's personal apprentice, the only one more capable of training the next generation would be... The Sith Lord turned to see the barrel end of a Bothan shrieker pointing directly at his chest. At that range, it would be impossible to miss.

"Forgive me..."

Before Bane could connect to the Force to fling the weapon away, the gun discharged a wave of solidified sonic energy which hit him dead center. The moment the projectile made contact, his head was filled with a harsh screaming that destroyed every thought he had. It was as though a thousand voices were all yelling out as loudly as they could directly into his ears. He swore in agony and clutched his ears in the futile attempt to make the voices stop. In that moment of weakness his mental shields had dropped and as soon as they had fallen, his apprentice dove into his head with the Force, hitting the necessary nerves to send him into a deep REM state. The last thing he heard as the shrieking ended and he lost consciousness were the final words of his apprentice.

"Forgive me my Lord, but it is necessary. I am to take your place wearing your robes and none will be the wiser. The only ones that know of our plan are myself and the Council. The decision was unanimous, _you_ are to be the one to survive."

With that the Sith Lord blacked out, only to awaken after an eternity of planetary regrowth.

* * *

- End Flashback : Hokage's Office -

"When I finally awoke, thousands of years had passed and the area that had once been a tomb in the center of one of the largest cities on the planets surface had returned to its beginnings. All around me was a lush forest and the only building that had survived the ages was my personal temple. Even then, the only reason that had survived was because all around it was the most powerful energy and stealth shield ever built. Capable of surviving anything fired at it including EMP blasts, the only reason no one inside it survived was because no synthetic field can block the Force in its raw state. It's stealth and shielding systems were directly powered by the geothermal energy that ran abundant in the area around our main city. Not only was everything within the Temple preserved from outside interference, they were also safeguarded by the stealth systems built around it, hiding it and ensuring its safety.

Fortunately, only organic life had been destroyed in the wave of anti-energy, meaning the entire Droid staff had remained operational. In preparation for the coming end, the servants had deactivated them and left them ready to be reanimated at any time in a storage area where they would remain unharmed. Not long after that, our sensors indicated that the area had long since returned to its human occupied state and they had once again civilized to a point where the Sith Order could be brought back to life. I sent out Droids to find if the Jedi had happened to have anything such as ours, where anyone could have survived the Thought Bomb. After a while a single Droid returned with a man alongside him. This man was he who the Jedi had chosen to remain alive to rejuvenate the Jedi Order."

Once again all eyes fell on Kyle who had fallen asleep, as none of this was news to him. After a small Force Push that tipped his chair over, Kyle woke up.

"What! Where! Huh!" The Last Jedi once again felt all eyes on him and only assumed that the reason for his awakening was that Bane had almost done with his story, meaning he came back into it.

"Yo..." He said, once again with a half-hearted wave to all present.

"After a conversation about our purposes..."

"Yeah, that took ages!" Bane just ignored the Jedi Master.

"...We finally decided that rather then bring back both Orders, only to end in violence once again, this time we would combine our teachings in such a way that only one Order would live, and last for centuries."

At this point, Naruto perked up.

"Wait a minute, you mean you two had meant for me to become a Grey Master?"

The two nodded, though Kyle had the decency to look sheepish about it.

"Yeah, we meant to tell you but Bane thought it was a better idea for you to come to that decision yourself. I thought it was kinda sneaky myself, but there you go."

Bane glared at him in betrayal but gave it up. He always blamed him, so why should he expect anything different now?

"Nonetheless, you still came to your final decision alone without us, which means you are more likely to follow your own heart then our teachings. It is necessary for you to think this way, if you are to continue on our lines successfully. The Sith would follow their hearts, while the Jedi would follow their minds after all, and we see how well that went. Ruling with the heart _and_ mind rather then just one or the other, that is what being a Grey Master means."

The blond boy frowned thoughtfully before nodding, a troubled look still apparent on his face.

"I suppose your right, but it still seems weird that you guys set it up for me to end up that way in the first place. Hey hang on, if you guys had been awake and joined up before I got there, how long have you been up?" Naruto added as an after thought. He already knew the truth of course, but it was necessary for him to ask the question to mislead the Hokage. The old man couldn't know the truth. It would bring along to many questions better left unasked. This falsification was necessary to ensure the success of their mission.

"It has been exactly a month and two weeks to the day since our awakening. Kyle was set to the exact same time as me, once again proving that there is no coincidence. This boy was meant to have us as tutors and as such he is destined to greatness. We were each believed to be the best of our respective Orders, I at Force techniques and the Dark Side, and Kyle at Physical prowess and the Light Side. Together we shall make him the strongest Force User since Marka Ragnos, the greatest of the Sith Lords."

"Yeah, its gonna be sweet!"

Everyone sent the Jedi a sweatdrop at his attitude, but Kyle only shrugged in indifference. Sarutobi took the moment to ask the next important question that needed to be answered.

"Very well, but how are you going to train him? He is now officially a Shinobi of Konohagakure and therefore prohibited from leaving the city limits unless on missions or with my own personal approval. Not that I wouldn't give him it right here and now, but the council would fight me tooth and nail."

Bane and Kyle looked at each other and nodded.

"We had already planned for that. We shall remain in our temple until he reaches Chunin rank and you can give him permission. In the meantime, we will give HK-47 a communicator device that will allow him to create a holographic image of Kyle or myself to train him. We will also give him a direct mental link to both of us so we can communicate with him as necessary."

"By doing this, we can train him in the use of the Force and physical combat, he can learn whatever skills he desires from your libraries and HK-47, and we can avoid detection from the more outspoken of Naruto's anti-supporters. When he reaches Chuunin rank he will be strong enough to protect himself and we can make ourselves known to the public."

"Very well," Sarutobi said. "Sounds like you two have really thought this through. I am assuming of course that there are things the two of you are leaving out?" The old man had to suppress a smile at the surprised look on the pair's faces. "There is a reason I am the leader of this Shinobi village. You don't live as long as I have through active service by being a fool. Anyway, due to the sensitive issue of your conditions, this is to be considered clan business and as such I am forbidden to interfere as long as your actions don't threaten the well being of my village or any civilian living within its walls. Now, if there is nothing else to be discussed, then you are free to leave. Kyle and Bane I want to stay behind but apart from that the rest of you are dismissed. I am sure Naruto has some things to attend to, no?"

Naruto caught the look thrown at him and smiled out of the corner of him mouth.

"Thanks old man, I appreciate it." The boy stood from the couch and walked over to the window. "See you later!" With that he turned his back to the group and allowed himself to fall straight back, hurtling toward the ground.

The gathered adults looked shocked apart from Bane and Kyle, who laughed.

"Always one for dramatic exits that boy. He is going to be fun to work with, I can tell."

"Now that we have some privacy, who are you, why are you here, and what are your plans for Naruto?"

After Naruto had left, Sarutobi's countenance changed and he eyed the two men before him warily. The only reason he was being as cardinal with them as he was with them was because not only had they fulfilled their promise, but also Naruto returned healthier and happier he had ever been before. Still, that didn't excuse them from the fact that they were still responsible for his surrogate grandson's disappearance and continued absence.

Bane regarded the aged man with a small smile. It was good to see that there was at least one person in the village that cared for the happiness and health of his apprentice. Kyle however, was quick to assure the Hokage.

"Trust me, everything we told you is true. There is more to it of course, but none of that concerns you for now. Bane and me are both lone survivors of a war that consumed not only this, but many other countries."

The Jedi was unsure of whether or not to tell the Hokage of their true origins, but the telepathic nudge from Bane told him to hold back. As loathe as he was to admit it, Bane had a better head for strategies then he would ever have. Where he had could plan weeks in advance with few enough errors, Bane could accurately predict major decisions for years to come. For now he had no choice but to follow his companions judgment.

"Very well, and what of Naruto? What did you do to him?"

Bane and Kyle traded a look and openly started laughing. Once the old man started to get irritated they forced themselves under control, though Bane had much less difficulty then Kyle.

"The change in fashion was entirely his own choice. Apparently he hated his previous style as vehemently as you or anyone else did. I admit though, Kyle had a small bit of influence on him, but mostly it was all him."

"That was not what I meant! He has grown at least half a foot taller and looks like he could bench-press an Akimichi for Kami's sake."

A look of understanding dawned on the pair and being the more scientifically minded of them, Kyle took it upon himself to explain. He set his chair straight and crossed his arms casually.

"When we first saw the boy, not only did we recognize the physical similarities between him and a previous apprentice of Bane's, we also noticed an abnormality residing within his body. At some point in his life the 'Kyuubi' as you called it, found a fault in the seals structure binding it to Naruto. By forcing minuscule amounts of Dark Force energy into the boy's circulatory system, it was slowly killing him with the seal's own initial programming."

Sarutobi's eyes widened at the news and he could hardly form words.

"How long would it have..."

"He would have died before the year's end. The strange thing though, is that judging directly by the amount of raw Dark Energy in his body, he should have succumbed to its toxic effects and died or been driven mad months ago. The fact that he is, was, walking without support is nothing short of miraculous."

The aging man closed his eyes and took a deep drag on his pipe. After steadying from the shock of coming so close to losing his surrogate grandson, he opened his eyes and nodded to the men before him. Taking it as a signal to continue, Kyle returned to his story.

"When we got the message from HK-47 about the boy being injured, we gave him the order to bring him to us. When he finally got to our temple, we gave him some medical treatment in combination with Force therapy, fighting the demon's power into submission. When he finally awoke, we had our first conversation covering most of what we have told you, as well as some things concerning the boy's future. After a most revealing conversation, we went over his training regimen which he took to rather ravenously. Eventually we came to a vital point. Given his condition the chances of him surviving the training were too low to risk losing him. To combat this and give him a chance, we did something rarely used in the good old days."

"And that was?..."

"We put him into a coma. After making sure he was where we needed him to be, we used micro-pulses of Force Energy to disrupt his nerve signals and 'trick' his brain into thinking he had suffered a severe trauma. The second his body had placed itself into a catatonic state we relieved the sensation but deadened the nerves that would wake him back up. Directly afterward we had surgical Droids hook him up to various machines to produce the necessary stimuli for him to be at an appropriate level for us to train him both physically and mentally. I will admit, his maturing physically was something I hadn't anticipated, but apparently the Beast had had more of an influence on him than I would have expected. Now normally this process would have taken only three days at most, but we decided to extend it to a full week as a gift for the live he has been forced to live, as well as about thirteen years worth of missed birthdays."

Sarutobi stared at him with a blank look on his face for a moment, so Kyle dumbed his explanation down a little bit.

"Some 'Professor' you are. We made him smart, strong and bad-ass in a week."

"Oh, okay, that makes...perfect sense."

"Hey, I'm just telling you what happened while he was gone. The second week we started him on some basic training, teaching him some fighting styles, weapons training, and enough of the Force to allow him to protect himself. However, no matter what we throw at him, he takes it and still tries to push himself outside of training. Hell, even when he thinks we aren't watching him he invents new methods of training with the Force that are far beyond the level he should be at. Never in my entire life have I seen someone with such a strong affinity for the Force as he has."

Bane nodded and decided to add to the statement.

"He can do in hours what took Kyle and myself days to use and understand. It's almost instinctual for him, as though he knew it all before and is simply remembering it, rather than learning it for the first time. All in all the boy has the potential to literally rule the world eventually if he wanted to, though he is pretty far from that right now."

Sarutobi found himself, once again, stunned but Kyle continued with a hand raised to regain his attention.

"There is one last thing that I find distressing. Naruto... he forms bonds of a magnitude reserved usually for only Master and Apprentice. What takes others years to attain, he can form in weeks. He almost has an aura around him that influences those around him, even Droids which in itself is physically and scientifically impossible. If it was anyone back in the days before the apocalypse, he would have been regarded as a prodigy by the Sith, or refused training for fear of becoming too powerful by the Jedi. In all honesty and taking everything, his will, his fortitude, his influence, his sheer power, into consideration, his sheer potential scares me. There has been two records of someone sharing these traits with him, one of whom rose to become one of the strongest Sith Lords in history, long before I came to be."

"He always has been one full of surprises, but as long as he hasn't changed too much mentally, you have nothing to fear from Naruto." Sarutobi said nodding and smiling happily to himself.

"Yes well, we have some rather important matters that must be discussed. One is his Shinobi career. As of one week ago, it is effectively over."

"What do you mean over? He's stronger than ever before, you just said so yourself!"

"He is, but in the process of his training it soon became apparent that he is completely incapable of using Chakra or Ninja techniques. As we said before, because Chakra is a mutation of the Force, someone who can use one is incapable of using the other. Naruto has come into direct, intimate contact with pure Force energy, it has completely destroyed his Chakra and replaced it with its undiluted ancestor. As a result, though he may advance through the Shinobi ranks normally if he so chooses, he will never again be capable of using Nin- or Gen-Jutsu."

"On the other hand," Bane spoke up. "He will be able to use techniques long lost to the world that are stronger and much less restrictive than your techniques. Plus any children he may have will acquire these traits. As such this could be considered a blood-limit. This in turn brings us to our second point..."

"Oh?" Sarutobi asked, still trying to work his head around the fact that Naruto had an acquired blood-limit, as well as the implications that went along with it.

"And what would that be?"

"We feel that because of this, he must be allowed to take his rightful role as a clan-leader of a new clan with all rights that goes along with the title. This includes a Clan home, a spot on the Shinobi council, privacy within his lands to protect Clan secrets, ability to adopt members at his will, and everything else. Because he is as of yet too young to be on the Council, he will have the right to appoint a representative until he comes of age."

The old man's eyes lit up halfway through the small speech and only got bigger from then on. By his conclusion he was grinning with excitement governing the possibilities of what it would mean. Finally he would have the means to repair some of the damage done by the past.

"Very well, but you understand that you and he will have to bring your case before both Civilian and Shinobi Councils. There you will be required to demonstrate what your clan has ans a Blood-limit, reveal any major weaknesses, and why you want to join Konohagakure. If it is the will of the Councils, then you will be inducted into the Clans of Konoha and granted all Clan rights, as well as guaranteed sanctuary for future generations, provided their loyalty to the Village."

The two Force users nodded to the old man and prepared to take their leave, but they were stopped by the Hokage as they stood.

"Before you go, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

The pair looked at each other for a moment, then shook their heads.

"Very well, take these passes in case you are stopped by any of my Shinobi. It wouldn't do for you to be unable to enter the Village to see Naruto after all."

Sarutobi handed them two small scrolls before dismissing them and turning his chair to survey his village beyond the window. After a few seconds he heard the door behind him close and he sighed loudly, biting the tail of his pipe's mouthpiece. Large things were on the horizon, he could feel it. Unfortunately, all he could do was hoped for the best, prepare for the worst, and trust Kyle Katarn and Bane to ensure Naruto's ability to weather whatever was to come.

* * *

_A/N : _Well there we are, yet another chapter down. I apologize for this chapter coming out a day late, but some rather unavoidable business came up that I had to tend to. After all, Sith happens. As for the chapter itself, I have no doubt that itmay garner a large bit of discussion, and yet again I extend my invitation. I am more than willing to discuss any and all quiestions or qualms you may have, and if you have any ideas that you think will go pretty well with this fic, let me know and I will see if I can't fit them in somewhere along the line. With full credit to the owner, of course.  
As for the matter of the pairing. As of yet I haven't been entirely convinced to change my mind, though I _have_ thought of some other ideas I may incorporate. We shall see.

Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai


	5. Initiation

**A New Order : Initiation**

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

_A/N_ - To compensate for last week's chapter being late, I have decided to post this one a day early. Enjoy...

* * *

Outside Naruto's bedroom a small group of five HK-50 Droidfs stood, quietly engaged in a heated discussion upon the imminent suicide of one of their comrades.

"Someone needs to wake the Master."

"Yes, it is time for him to prepare for his 'task' with the meatbags."

"Correct, one of us needs to stir him or he will be both late and displeased."

"True, but who will it be?"

The small group turned to face the only one not to have spoken. After a second the Droid's eyes lit up and it shook its head violently.

"No no no! I'm not going in there! There has to be another way to wake him up."

His mechanic voice had an almost pleading tone to it and its desperation was apparent.

"I suppose we may be able to rouse him with audible signals of ample volume..."

The group all thought about it for a second then nodded. The one closest to the door pushed it open slowly, hoping not to get a throwing knife through the processing unit like a few of his more unfortunate brethren.

"Master?" It prompted halfheartedly. No response. "Maaaaaster?" Still no response.

"MASTER!" As quickly as it could, it slammed the door shut and waited for the rush of anger that accompanied the boy waking up. After a tense moment of absolute silence, the Droid turned back to its comrades.

"The Master is obviously very tired. Are you sure we should rouse him?"

"Correct. The Master gave us specific orders to awaken him at seven, it is now four minutes past. Now move, I will do it, cowards."

The brave Droid pushed past the others and pushed the door open wide.

"Good Morning Mas-!"

It was cut off by a powerful Force Push that slammed him into the stone wall adjacent from the now wide open door. The other four Droids stared at their fallen brother for a moment, processors whirring madly before their attention returned to the blond figure that stood in the doorway.

"You guys are five minutes late, but thanks anyway. Now have the cook make some biscuits, gravy, and coffee-black and loaded. I want to feel my blood burn."

"Yes Master!"

Two took off running while the others extricated their dazed brother from his place in the wall before they too left down the hallway. The last thing Naruto heard before they turned down the hallway was the injured unit ordering an attack on Coruscant, whatever that was. Naruto gave a sigh and turned back to his room, going to his closest and looking for a clean set of clothes that would be suitable for combat. After a moment's deliberation, he had decided on a pair of black cargo pants that were loose enough to provide plenty of dexterity, as sleevless black undershirt that would keep him cool during stress, and his usual pair of combat boots. As an afterthought he grabbed his jacket that was hanging on his door. He could always take it off if he got too hot, and he the feel of the leather had grown on him.

By the time his breakfast was prepared he had gotten dressed, cleaned up, and sat down next to Bane who was already up and drinking his own cup of coffee while reading a book of some kind.

"Morning, Master Bane."

The cafeteria was silent as various cleaning Droids performed their duty and delicious smells started wafting in from the kitchen. Naruto had just sat down when Chef came rolling out from the cafeteria's swinging doors laden with food.

"Thanks Chef, looks great!"

The Droid beeped happily before going back to the kitchen to do whatever it was he did when he wasn't cooking. Naruto took a sip at the coffee before him and sighed in ecstasy as the jolt of caffeine-induced energy shot through him. It took him about seven minutes to finish the stack of food before him and when he did Kyle had finally woken up and sat down at the table.

"You're up early, what's going on?" Kyle asked while eying Naruto's coffee dangerously.

"Don't even think about it Master, Chef has more in the kitchen. Anyway, I've got my own Genin exams this morning, so I need to be there by 'eight." He made quotations marks in the air with his fingers.

"You do know its already half past seven right? You're gonna' be late." Chef rolled out with a cup of coffee for Kyle who took to it ravenously.

"No more than Hatake. That guy is even worse than you are when it comes to punctuality."

Kyle took a hard sip of the coffee and Naruto laughed when a spasm ran through him, making coffee come out of his mouth.

"HOLY Crap! What the hell is in this? Feels like I just got shot up with an adrenal."

Naruto smiled and took another sip of his fresh one, sighing contentedly.

"I know, great isn't it?"

Kyle shrugged and wiped his mouth with a paper napkin before taking another mouthful of coffee, nodding appreciatively.

"It isn't bad, I'll give you that. Dammit, why is your food always so much better than mine?"

Naruto's sarcastic reply was cut off by the sound of beeping coming from the kitchen. After deciphering the message, he started to laugh before translating it for Kyle who was frowning.

"Chef says its because you suck, but if you were to be a little more appreciative, your quality would jump."

Bane chuckled behind his book and Kyle muttered something about disrespectful apprentices and bitchy Droids before taking another sip of coffee.

"Like I was saying before I was interrupted." He shot a dirty glance at the kitchen, causing Naruto to grin. "I really doubt that your 'sensei' could be worse than me. No one is that bad."

"He showed up three hours late to his own team meeting."

"Dude, that's awesome! Maybe I should take him out for a couple of rounds some time."

Naruto checked his watch then stood up, popping his back.

"I'm going to go ahead and leave on the off chance that he shows up on time. I doubt it, but you never know. Later guys."

The two older men nodded to him and went back to their own things. Bane reading his book and Kyle shouting at Chef for some _good _food.

* * *

**- Konohagakure Shinobi Grounds : Training Area 32 -**

Sakura and Sasuke sat alone in an empty training field a little after nine. Both their sensei and third odd teammate were still missing an hour after the time they were supposed to meet. Sasuke was quickly losing his temper, not only at their squads apparent lack of interest but also at Sakura's constant affections. At least if he was alone he could have a moment of peace, maybe even try to figure out what had happened to Naruto.

It didn't make any sense, no matter how he looked at it. Something had happened to the blond to change him so exponentially. No one grows by about a foot and gains that much mass over two weeks naturally. Plus there was that exercise he had done yesterday while they had been waiting. Now that he actually thought about it, he hadn't sensed any Chakra being emitted from the boy yet he was still able to make the kunai levitate. After the trio had parted ways, Sasuke had attempted to do the exercise himself in order to prove that... well... that he could. His only result was a gash on his hand where he had cut himself on the razor sharp kunai when it fell into his palm.

"What about Sunday? We could go to a movie!"

The broody avenger sighed lowly again and turned his back to her. It was bad enough waiting for the rest of their team, but he had to do it with one of his most fanatic fan-girls.

Sakura sighed sadly as Sasuke gave her the cold shoulder...again. Honestly sometimes she wondered why she bothered chasing him as much as she did. The words Naruto had spoken to her had hit her hard, and she was still thinking them over. Was she really that misguided? That was another troublesome thought bothering her. What had happened to the hyperactive knucklehead she knew? He showed up yesterday like something out of a romance novel. Plus the way he walked, the way he talked, he was no longer the ball of barely contained energy from before. Instead he seemed to have been replaced by someone... better.

His blond hair had grown out and was long and gorgeous, thick with streaks of black reaching down to his shoulder blades. He had grown physically as well, standing at least a good ten inches higher than he had just before the Genin exams. His shoulders were wider, his muscles more pronounced, and he had a confident aura around him that made her feel...safe? A blush burned her face as she pictured him standing in the doorway yesterday. His long, thick legs covered in the blue denim, chest stretching the black shirt tight and those dog tags on his neck and between his chiseled pecs. As much as she hated to admit it, he looked almost as good as Sasuke now...almost.

Sasuke heard a weird sound and turned to see Sakura banging her head against a tree, muttering something softly. He just shook his head and tried to ignore her valiantly, praying that something would happen to break the atmosphere that had finally fallen. Apparently someone heard his silent prayer as a odd sound reverberated through the forest, a high-pitched humming accompanied by various whooping.

As the sounds grew louder Sasuke drew out a kunai to defend against a possible enemy. His wait was short and within two minutes, whatever was making the sound came into view. The... thing, was big, about ten feet long and brown. The front end stretched out on two bar-like parallel protrusions and ended in a strange 'L' shape with a pair of barrels sticking outward. The body was made of metal like the rest of it, with a seat near the back. Two handles emitted from the sides and angled upward, used for steering. What really drew his attention and the weirdest thing about it was the fact that it was hovering about two feet off the ground.

"Sup guys? What do you think of my new ride?"

Both Sasuke and Sakura looked up from the strange thing to see Naruto riding on top of it with legs straddled over either side and his hands on the handles.. He was wearing a different outfit than the one from yesterday. No denim, only an undershirt, but he had kept the jacket and boots. No surprise there, really.

The shaggy blond laughed at his teammates faces before swinging a leg over the opposite side and sliding off the machine, allowing a smooth dismount and leaving the machine to hover with a quiet hum. He leaned against the closest tree and crossed his arms, waiting for the response to come.

"Dobe... what the hell is that?"

"This my friend, is a state of the art L-42Z speeder bike, commonly used by scout troops of the Jedi Society. I found this baby in supply room and fixed her up enough to be reusable. With a little help from a friend of mine, I got it working beautifully."

"Well yeah... but what is it?"

Naruto sighed quietly and smiled at the ignorance of everyone he would soon have to tell. Once he really started showing what he had at his disposal, he would need to explain how EVERYTHING worked. Over and over again. It was going to get so old, it wouldn't even be funny.

"This is a machine used a long, long time ago. It's main purpose was to transport one or two people long distances faster than possible on foot. Fast enough to clear ground, and small and quiet enough not to be easily noticeable. It is armed with small weapons for minor encounters with hostile forces and capable of reaching speeds impossible for any living organism to achieve naturally. Reasonably priced at the sticker price of eighteen thousand credits, or nine thousand if you can find one used."

The two Genin stared at Naruto for a second before Sasuke eyed the bike hungrily.

"Why were you yelling so loudly when you were riding it?"

"When I said 'faster than any living organism can achieve naturally', I meant it. This thing is a blast to ride, and you couldn't imagine how fast it will go." He walked back to it and patted one of the stabilizing bars lovingly. A thought struck him and he eyed Sasuke evilly. "Why, do you want to have a try or can't you handle it?"

Naturally Sasuke bristled at the remark and walked forward to meet the challenge. His inevitable wreck and/or demise was postponed by the timely arrival of their new sensei.

"Yo..."

"You're Late!"

The three males winced at the volume of Sakura's shout, but Kakashi just rubbed his neck and his eyes curved upwards, showing a smile casually.

"You see, on my way here, I noticed a really weird fat guy was following me around, so I had to run all around town in order to lose him before I could get here."

Naruto snickered and held out his palm to Kakashi who looked at it is surprise for a second before slapping him a high-five. Naturally this only served to irritate Sakura further and Kakashi decided to get on with the test before the bulging vein in her forehead burst and he had to carry her to the hospital. He pulled two bells from his hip pouch and smiled at his prospective students.

"Okay, all you have to do is get a bell from me and you pass. Whoever doesn't is sent back to the academy for remedial training, simple as that. For a little bit extra motivation, whoever doesn't get a bell will be tied to a training stump and watch as the other two eat lunch."

He pulled out a pair of lunch-boxes with warm, delicious looking food in them. Sasuke and Sakura looked at the food and their stomachs complained loudly, causing a blush from Sakura. At their hungry expressions aimed at the food, Naruto rubbed his neck sheepishly, as he had forgotten the instructor's advise not to eat breakfast. Oh well, he was sure he could handle whatever the cyclops had planned.

"It's as simple as that. Oh yeah!" He pulled out an egg timer and spun it a couple of times. "You have until noon to get them."

"But sensei, you only have two bells. Shouldn't you have three?"

"As I said, whoever doesn't get a bell doesn't pass. Only two of you may pass, the third is screwed."

Naruto felt a hint of deceit coming from the man echo through the Force. He was either lying or not telling the whole truth and what purpose could he possibly have for lying to his inferiors? His thought process was thrown off when the man instigated the test.

"Go!"

Naruto's teammates parted ways as quickly as possible and disappeared into the tree line on either side of the clearing. Naruto didn't bother. What was the point of hiding from someone so completely ahead of them? It would require no effort on his part to find them so it was just a waste of valuable time and energy. Regardless, Kakashi was the first opponent that surpassed him who couldn't use the Force that he was able to combat, so he was eager to get started.

Almost casually Naruto reached to his hip and flipped open his shuriken pouch on his waist. He took a handful and held them out.

Seeing Naruto pull out his weapons, Kakashi pulled out a book from the pouch on his back, causing Naruto to smile and extend his arms with a couple of shuriken resting in each palm, facing upward casually.

"Are you ready Kakashi-san?"

He saw an eyebrow raise on the cyclops' face and took it as a signal to begin. He funneled the Force into a concussive blast of air that he directed towards the shuriken, sending them flying towards Kakashi faster than he could have thrown them. Kakashi drew a single kunai and blocked the weapons easily, though surprised at the power behind them and the gauges they left in his knife.

While he was distracted, Naruto charged towards the Jonin, preparing himself for the use of Krav Maga. While normally he would hesitate on using the destructive style against an ally, he had no illusion that he might seriously hurt Kakashi during his spar, and he wasn't about to limit himself in any way.

He hadn't even cleared a quarter of the distance between them before Kakashi noticed his approach, and settled into a defensive stance. When the boy reached his elder, he turned to his side to protect his vitals as Kyle had taught him, and threw a powerful punch at Kakashi's ribs.

The cyclops didn't bat an eyelash as he deflected the blow with his free hand, never turning from his book. Naruto continued, unfazed and used his momentum to attack with his other arm, turning into the punch to put all of his strength into the blow. Kakashi blocked the attack by catching the boy's fist in his long fingers.

"So hasty."

The boy used his free hand to wrap around the man's wrist and lash out with his boot to kick at his opponent's knee. Kakashi stepped backwards easily, using the motion to toss Naruto aside. As he hit the ground hard, the boy sat upwards, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. A feral grin crossed his features, and his eyes burned with determination. This was going to be good.

* * *

Sasuke watched as again and again Kakashi batted away Naruto's attacks all the while still reading his book. He was following the cyclop's movements carefully and studying the patterns in his motions. Suddenly the man seemed to stumble slightly from a hard kick to the ribs, which was barely deflected by a forearm. Seeing his chance, Sasuke leapt forward, making handsigns for a technique he had learned only a few weeks prior. He was ten feet away from the man when he ended the sequence on the 'Tora' symbol and he drew a large breath of air into his lungs, using his fingers to direct the flow of Chakra toward his target.

Kakashi was actually having fun sparring with Naruto. The style the boy was using was something he had never seen before, hell, he had never even _heard _of it before, and he was friends with Maito Gai. He definitely needed to speak with his... friend?, about the boy's style. Maybe he knew of it but had simply never thought to mention it.

No, what surprised him most was Naruto's skill. He had assumed that after a week at most of serious training in an organized style, Naruto would barely be able to hold the stance correctly, let alone utilize it effectively. He had been proven wrong since the first block and only more so since. As he rolled to the side to avoid an overhead elbow strike, he saw Sasuke behind Naruto finishing a sequence of seals that he recognized immediately.

"Naruto, look out!" He shouted, but feared it was too late. Naruto turned to see the last Uchiha exhale a large ball of flame directly towards him, and he threw up his arms in defense.

Sasuke watched as his fireball seared straight towards his teammate in astonishment. He hadn't meant to hit him! Inside his mind he was screaming for the blond to move, but at that range, it was impossible to miss.

As he predicted, the inferno slammed directly into Naruto, who only threw up his hands in a pointless attempt to defend himself. As it made contact, the flames exploded violently and the wave of heat staggered both him and Kakashi, who was too stunned to react. Sasuke turned to the Jounin in shock, unable to process what he had just done. Instead of shouting or glaring at him for killing a teammate however, Kakashi was staring at the spot where Naruto had stood. Sasuke turned to look as well, only to see Naruto standing unharmed behind a half-dome shield of glowing blue light. All around the outside of the dome was blackened dirt and the remnants of dead grass, but everything within the barrier was completely unharmed.

As soon as he had heard Kakashi yell, Naruto had turned to see Sasuke in the air behind him, blowing hard. He wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen, but the look in Kakashi's eye stated that it definitely wasn't beneficial to his health. Mentally chanting a thank you to Kyle for showing him a particular defensive technique, he channeled the Force through his hands before him into a shield construct.

His efforts weren't in vain as the fireball hit the wall of hardened air and rolled off of each side, flaring violently but still the shield held strong. When the onslaught of flames died, he lowered the shield and looked over his shoulder at Kakashi and Sasuke. He sighed softly in relief and rolled his shoulders before reaching into his jean's pocket.

Kakashi threw off the surprise at Naruto being unharmed and deduced that he must have used the 'Force' to protect himself against Sasuke's technique. He forced himself back into a defensive position as Naruto started digging in his pocket before pulling out a pair of ear buds. The man frowned as he turned a page. What was he planning?

Naruto tunneled the wire through his shirt so it wasn't hanging free and fixed one bud in his right ear, hesitating before plugging in the second. The instant the hammering drums and guitar filled his head, he turned to Sasuke and grinned.

"Hey Sasuke..." The boy turned to him, confusion still plastered on his face.

"What Dobe?" A feral grin crossed Naruto's face.

"Stay out of my way."

With that he fixed the other one in place and stepped into a basic, steady stance of Krav Maga. As the rush of music hit him, he used a prick of the Force to anchor the buds to him, and motioned for Kakashi to come at him while Sasuke glared at him with almost murderous intent in his eyes.

Kakashi watched as the blond slid into another stance he had never seen before. His right foot was behind his left, about shoulders width apart with his elbows tucked into his side, protecting his vital points with his arms. He prepared to move forward just as the lyrics kicked in and almost as if on cue, Kakashi sprang forward.

Kakashi cleared more ground in his sprint than Naruto and he swung a punch at the boy's skull. Naruto met the blow skillfully with his left and diverted it with a backhand while returning the favor to the Jounin's solar plexus. The man blocked it with his free hand effortlessly and kicked at Naruto's stomach, forcing the boy to back up a step to avoid it. Pressing the offense, Kakashi dropped to the ground and hook kicked at Naruto's leg. Naruto barely had time to hop over it before stepping forward into a stomp, trying to crack the outstretched knee. His attack was stopped when the man caught his ankle and threw him over his shoulder casually yet again.

Sasuke watched as his blond teammate hit the ground hard and gasped as the breath rushed out of his lungs. A dark smirk appeared before it was wiped clean. It was good to see the Dobe put back down where he deserved to be, on the ground at his feet. He took the distraction the boy provided and charged at Kakashi, kunai in hand. As he reached the silver-haired man, he lunged with the blade and jammed it into his right side, directly where the kidney was. He was shocked for a second at how easy it was until his victim's body dispersed in a poof of smoke and in its place was a thick log with a kunai jammed into it.

Sasuke leapt away from the log a second before a couple of shuriken dug into it, throwing splinters everywhere. He stood for a moment, searching for the man desperately with his kunai ready to defend instantly. He heard footsteps behind him and he whirled around, kunai outstretched only to find Naruto approaching him, ear buds still locked in their place. The odd thought occurred to him that they should have fallen out when he had hit the dirt.

"He is strong. Different from my Masters, but still powerful. He can do things they can't and they can do things he can't, so they are pretty close. Nonetheless, he is still better than we are. I will need your help if we are to beat him."

Sasuke glared at him as he hooked his thumbs in his jeans.

"I don't need your help fool, I can take him alone. Now as I believe, you said, 'Stay out of my way!'"

Naruto shook his head at the arrogance.

"You're an idiot. He's a Jounin. We're barely Genin! There is no way we will be able to take him on alone. I only charged him to find out how serious he is going to take us. Right now he things we're a joke and we can use that to our advantage. If we team up and play on it right, we just might be able to keep him off guard long enough to get the bells off him."

For a moment Naruto had hope as intelligence flashed in Sasuke's eyes. Unfortunately, his bullheadedness won out and his eyes clouded again, a scowl covering his face.

"Shut up Dobe. I will do this myself. Now get away from me."

The Uchiha darted off into the tree line in pursuit of the Jounin, leaving Naruto alone in the now quiet training area. Naruto sighed and dropped to his knees slowly. For a couple of moments, he just let the lyrics of the song run through his mind, calming him despite the pulsating rhythm and music. Despite the lyrics being in a different language, he was able to use the Force in a passive manner, translating the thoughts behind the words.. As the words flowed through his mind, he automatically translated them into something he could somewhat understand. While the finer details might have escaped him, he could still understand the ideas behind the words, and for now it was enough.

When the song ended and he felt he had calmed himself enough to focus, he released his grip on the Force and dislodged the headphones from their place, returning them to his pocket, then closed his eyes. Judging by the situation they were in, there had to be something more to the test that just grabbing a pair of bells and allowing one of them to fail. It just didn't make any sense and went against everything their lessons in the Academy had stood for. He took a deep breath and opened his mind to the Force, seeking the guidance in what he should do. He ran over the facts in his mind, trying to configure the jigsaw puzzle into a solution.

I. He was up against a superior opponent, hardly a surprise.  
II. He had two 'teammates' who were meant to aid him, though one was useless and the other blinded by arrogance and swimming in the dark side.  
III. He was in unknown territory against an almost just as unknown but obviously powerful opponent with a time limit in which he had to get two guarded bells from said superior opponent.  
IV. Unless he got some more time and help, he was screwed.

'Dammit, if only I had some teammates that didn't suck. Hey, wait a second."

He pulled a small metal communicator from one of his pockets and flipped it open, it sparked to life with static instantly and he hit a button on it's side.

"HK-47, do you copy?"

After a short pause, a clear reply came through.

"**Confirmation**: Greetings Master, I was not expecting you. **Query**: Aren't you supposed to be in the middle of a training exam right now?"

"Yes I am, in fact that is why I am calling. I need you to send a couple of Droids for backup."

"**Acknowledgment**: Of course Master. Shall I send some HK-50's to assist you?"

"Negative, send the Guardians."

"**Acknowledgment**: As you wish Master, I shall have a pair sent out immediately. They should arrive within twelve minutes. **Statement**: I don't know what you are fighting, but these two have been positively itching for a good slaughter."

"There will be no blood today I'm afraid, but someday my friend."

Naruto deactivated the communicator and slid it back into his pocket. He stood and checked the surrounding area for anyone else, failing to sense anyone. He probed outwards with the Force and barely caught the feeling of a female's signature. Sighing, he made his way to where she was hiding, hoping to convince her to help him out, though it was more a courtesy than anything. He was confident that his Droids would be more than able to handle Kakashi.

Sakura was sitting in a tree a short distance from a clearing where Sasuke was valiantly attempting to get the bells from Kakashi and failing miserably. Sasuke would throw punch after punch while Kakashi would dodge them easily or even bat them aside like they more more a nuisance than a threat. Every time Sasuke would attack, he would lose his temper at the casual display of disinterest the Jounin was showing. By this point, he was in a blind rage and was losing focus on the entire point of the test, instead intent on causing Kakashi as much bodily harm as he could.

Just as Sakura was about to yell out some encouragement, she felt a hand clamp over her mouth

"Shh. Don't scream, its me."

Sakura felt the hand let go and she spun to glare at Naruto, who was crouched down on a branch behind her, sitting on his calves with his hands on his knees. His attention was focused on the fight between the other two.

"Naruto, what's wrong with you? You scared the hell out of me!"

"Keep it down will you? Besides, you should have been paying more attention to your surroundings rather that Sasuke-_kun_." He put a heavy emphasis on the suffix before turning back to the fight. "Why aren't you helping him out anyway? He's getting stomped."

"Shut up you idiot, Sasuke is doing fine!"

Naruto shook his head and sighed at the level of her infatuation, as well as her volume. In his pocket the communicator beeped softly, indicating an incoming message from the Sith Base. He pulled it out and hit the button.

"What is it HK?"

"**Statement**: Master, the Magnaguards are nearing your position on STAP's and they should arrive in five minutes or so."

"Excellent, have them report to me the moment they arrive and keep me posted on any developments."

"**Acknowledgment**: As you wish Master."

Naruto slid the device back into his pocket and turned to Sakura, ignoring the blatant confusion on her face.

"I have a surprise on the way that will help us out. In the meantime we need to get Sasuke away from Kakashi to make a plan."

Judging by the look of outrage on Sakura's face he couldn't rely on her help either, and unfortunately he wasn't disappointed.

"Shut up baka, me and Sasuke-kun don't need any help. Especially from you, so go away and leave us alone!"

Naruto watched as she ran through the trees away from him. Apparently it would all come down to him and his backup to get the bells. Lucky he had a back up plan or he might have failed... nah!"

Naruto was pacing impatiently when he heard the shrill buzzing of the vehicles he was waiting for. He turned excitedly to as two brown vehicles broke from the tree line. Like his speeder bike, they were a brown metal and hovered above the ground a couple of feet, but that was where the similarities ended. The bottom of them tapered down to a rounded point but the tip was flat and a wide disc. Two handles emitted from the top sides and a small platform big enough for one person to stand on protruded from the back. The tip of two barrels were visible from the lightly armored front and the sunlight that found its way through the forest's canopy glittered off of it.

As the machines pulled up to him and came to a stop, Naruto whistled appreciatively as a pair of Droids dismounted and stood at attention before him. They stood an easy seven feet tall, towering over his grown form more than a foot. He looked up and a shiver of approval ran through him. Their faces were covered by a metal mockery of a face and a tattered cloak. From the shadows, a gas mask-like object was visible where their mouths should have been, as well as a pair of glowing red eyes. The cloaks appeared to have been present in many battles, having rips and tears in them that hadn't been repaired afterward, and covered their internal components from the elements. Their eyes glowed an evil crimson as they stared straight forward awaiting orders. Their thick, strong legs ended in bird like talons that dug into the dirt leaving deep gouges in the earth. Their left hands hung straight down and in their right was a shock staff the signature weapon of that particular series of Droids.

Their main purpose was to guard a powerful cybernetic organism who led the Droid Confederate army, who went by the name of General Grievous. As such a high ranking commander, he was often a target of assassination, forcing the Droid guards to fight Jedi. After installing specific programming himself, Grievous gave them a second purpose... to kill Jedi.

Naruto looked at the the pair and smiled, allowing an extended canine to slip between his teeth.

"Droids, what are your designations?"

The Droid on the left stepped forward and dropped to one knee, saluting with his staff across his chest and bowing his head.

"Due to our prowess on the field of battle, we have been honored with not a serial number, but names. I am Alpha, my comrade is Omega. We are the beginning and end of the fight. We have waited far too long to serve, and our day of triumph is finally at hand. We shall not fail you, sire."

Naruto nodded and the Droid stood back up and stepped back, level with his partner and staring straight ahead again.

"Sire, what is our mission?"

The Droid's voice was raspy and cold, betraying its inorganic origin.

"You and Omega are to take down a target that I will assign you. I want him to submit by any means possible, short of permanently crippling him or his death. When he is unable to fight any more, you will bring him to me and place him at my feet. Do not kill him, I want him alive. He is a powerful warrior, and if he is allowed any quarter, I have no doubt that he will destroy you."

The large, glowing red orb in the center of their chests brightened at the thought of a strong enemy and it was obvious they were anxious to begin.

"Should your performance impress me, I believe I may have further use for you both in the future if you are interested. Now go, and return victorious."

Naruto gave them all the information he had on Kakashi and the duo saluted with their staffs once more before bounding away on foot after their prey. Naruto watched them disappear between the trees, leaping from trunk to trunk with acrobatics seemingly impossible to their inorganic structure. They would be on the ground running straight one moment, then leap up and to the side, hitting a tree trunk and making the whole tree rock. Immediately afterward they would leap again, contorting in the air with amazing choreography as they looked around before reaching out and grabbing a jutting branch, propelling themselves forward with a swing in a twisted imitation of an ape's method. Naruto watched their bizarre performance before rushing after them, though he found it impossible to meet their long and tireless strides.

Kakashi turned the page of his book casually, ignoring the outraged shouts of the boy beside him, sunk to his neck in the dirt beside him. His fight with Sasuke had been nothing short of a joke and ended with the Jounin trapping him with the Earth Style: Inner Decapitation technique. Admittedly, the Uchiha had put up an impressive fight, but the skill gap between them was simply too advanced to be overcome that simply.

* * *

Halfway through his page, his ears perked at an odd sound. A combination of a well-oiled machine, bark being crushed, and rushing air that sent a cold feeling down his spine. He glanced to his side at the tree line where the sound was coming from, and barely happened to catch a glimpse of what he could only assume were Droids before they burst out, brandishing some kind of electrified staff, arcing blue electricity dancing at the tips and promising discomfort to whoever was unfortunate enough to be hit by one. One rushed him, kicking up plumes of dirt behind it as it charged, while the other had caught a high branch with excellent timing and leapt into the air, the glowing staff held over its head as it tried to hit Kakashi from above.

Kakashi rolled to the left, dodging the potentially fatal blow and the Droid hit the ground hard, the staff head burning the grass around it to cinders and throwing a massive cloud of dust up into the air. Kakashi got to his feet, shocked at the intensity of the impact. The cloud of dirt rose a good couple of feet into the air and impeded his view enough for him to be unable to see the killing machine within it.

As he watched, a silhouette became visible and he drew a breath when the Droid walked out of the cloud unharmed. The way its cloak blew out behind it from the gusty breeze cut an imposing figure and he couldn't help but but take an involuntary step backwards. Out of nowhere his instincts screamed at him to move and he back flipped through the air barely dodging the staff of the second Droid. It was only through his years as a Shinobi that saved him from being possibly crippled from the attack, though it wasn't enough to save the lock of hair as it was seared from his head. The second he landed, he threw a couple of kunai at the Droids. The blades hit their bodies and simply bounced off with the sound of metal striking metal. The first Droid cocked its head at the feeble attack then looked at his comrade and nodded. They charged at him directly, staffs before them one aiming high and the other low. Kakashi armed himself again and leapt between the two staffs, coming dangerously close to the arcs of electricity dancing over the spearheads. He hit the Droid on the left with his kunai, but they simply slid off without even leaving a scratch. He rolled on the ground away from the Droids and the second he had regained his bearings, he was forming handseals.

"**Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!**"

He expelled the pent up breath, igniting the air with his Chakra and creating a massive fireball over ten feet across. The Droids were unable to react in time as the wave of flames rushed over them.

When the flames from the resulting explosion dissipated, Kakashi could see the twisted forms of the Droids. He couldn't help but feel a rush of pride in defeating them. He walked over to one of them and nudged it with his foot to make sure it was dead. When it failed to respond, he grinned.

"They aren't all that tough."

He turned and walked away with a swagger in his step. His victorious march was cutoff when again, he heard the sound of shrieking metal and he turned slowly. The corpse of the Droid had reanimated and was contorting like something out of a nightmare. Arms and legs would pop back into place with a disconcerting snap. The machine stood up slowly in time with its comrade, both heads facing the opposite direction. The first stared at him, still for a moment before its head spun around slowly, coming to its proper position.

"O-kay... That can't be good..."

The pair stared disconcertingly for a moment or two before charging at him again, screaming out with disembodied inhuman voices.

Naruto watched his mechanical warriors battle with Kakashi, they were faring better than he could have hoped to and with each strike, they came closer and closer to hitting their mark. The greatest ability the Magnaguard series had over any other Droid was their inherent ability to learn. They could combat an enemy and in time, they would learn their movements and come to predict their enemies actions or reactions. Every time Kakashi would dodge an attack, that same motion would be less effective the next time he used it, and judging by the way things were going, the Jounin didn't have much time left before his imminent defeat. Naruto smiled to himself and prepared to make his move. His timing would have to be impeccable for his plan to work.

* * *

Sakura watched with an open mouth as Kakashi fought the two... things. She had never seen anything like them before and honestly, they scared her. The way they moved, let alone their look, reminded her of a large ventriloquist dummy without strings. She almost cheered when Kakashi hit them with the fireball and she had to cover her mouth to silence a scream when they climbed back to their feet as though nothing had happened, despite their twisted and contorted forms. The way they had twisted back into shape, healing themselves. She suppressed a shudder and forced herself to watch the battle, though the way the two monstrosities were coming closer and closer to landing a blow on Kakashi was starting to worry her. Unless he found a way to take them out soon, they were going to hit him with one of their vicious weapons.

Sasuke watched the fight raging around him while fighting to push down the fear that was gripping him. It wasn't that he was scared of the two things, far from it. What worried him was the fact that any one of the three fighting might step on him without realizing it, which was a distinct possibility given the ferocity of their combat. He winced involuntarily as a clawed, metal foot crushed the grass and dirt beside him, sending tremors rocking through his body.

Kakashi was breathing hard and he leapt back to put some distance between him and the Droids trying valiantly to rip him apart. He had been debating on whether or not to reveal his not-so-secret weapon. On one hand, he really needed the boost that would follow as well as being able to predict their movements since they were becomingly worryingly accurate as time passed. On the other, if anyone were to find out that he had been forced to use the Sharingan against a group of Genin on their first test, freaky-monster-things or not, his reputation would be shot to hell and he would become a laughing stock. Although one thing was certain, he was going to have some words with Naruto when all was said and done either way.

Time passed and Kakashi was getting desperate. The two Droids would take any amount of damage he could dish out, and they would simply shake it off. Fire techniques would roll off of them, water wouldn't even slow them down and they were moving too fast for Earth techniques to hit them. Despite his vast arsenal, he didn't know a Wind technique that could help him in his situation, so that left one last element.

He targeted the Droid he had somehow managed to score a hit on earlier on, causing it to move slower than its counterpart, though still not showing any signs of exhaustion. The trio had been fighting for almost half an hour and he was running alarmingly low on Chakra, so his next move was a gamble he couldn't afford to lose.

The masked Jounin rolled to his side to dodge an overhead staff swing and used the brief window of opportunity to knock the offending Droid back with a solid kick to the chest. With the space provided, he spun to face the other and slid his forehead protector up to uncover his left eye, revealing a fully matured, three-tomoed Sharingan. His world slowed down to nearly a crawl as his foreign eye picked up every minute detail around him. The beat of a hummingbird's wing as it avoided the frantic combat, the flowers and grass dancing under the light breeze, the pollen on the underside of a bee passing by, nothing escaped his notice.

He held his right forearm before him with the palm facing him and knuckles down, bracing it with his left hand. Aided by years of practice and experience, he forced a steady stream of lightning-aligned Chakra into his outstretched hand, forming a blade of crackling lightning around his fingers. When it was mostly formed, he charged at the Droid, who was at the moment staring at him with its head cocked in confusion.

"CHIDORI!"

The cyclops yelled the technique's name at the exact moment the blade coating his fingers slid through the metal connecting the Droid's head and shoulders, sending the head and a gush of black fluid flying skyward. The hot liquid splashed against his chest, staining his skin black and burning him from the intense heat. Kakashi's Sharingan noticed the way the head glinted from the sunlight before hitting the dirt. The red eyes flashed for a moment, before dimming slowly and dying out.

After the clean decapitation Kakashi put the fallen opponent out of his mind and focused on the remaining one. He expected some kind of reaction from the Droid from the execution of its comrade, but it simply stared at him with those scarlet eyes silently. Suddenly it charged at him, swinging its staff at his head wildly.

Kakashi's eyes widened and he barely dodged the strike. For some reason, his eye wasn't making its usual predictions on the Droid's movements. True everything still seemed slower as always, but he couldn't trace the movements it was going to make. Nonetheless, he now sensed a technique that was effective against them, so he stood a chance.

He side stepped to dodge the swipe and kicked at its leg, trying to cripple it to buy the required time to charge his Chidori before his Chakra ran dry. The Droid blocked with its staff and dropped to the ground and span like a top, holding the staff outstretched. Kakashi stomped down hard, trapping the staff between the ground and his foot tightly.

Just as he started charging his attack, his instincts screamed at him and he pulled a back-flip as he had before. The coming attack however seemed to foresee the maneuver and the tip of the shock-staff barely clipped his calf. The weapon sparked to life sharply and Kakashi bit back a cry as the pain made his calf clench involuntarily. He barely had time to realize that he was falling through the air before his world exploded in agony and his vision grew dim.

Naruto smiled with glee as Kakashi fought the two Magnaguards. They were all three performing magnificently. He hadn't really expected the Jounin to do this well at all. Using the old ranking system he would be placed highly. Anything less than Jedi Knight would be an insult, as he was fighting enemies that were made to conquer specific enemies far more advanced than he. The blond was shaken from his thoughts when Kakashi uncovered his left eye and revealed a Sharingan. He had no idea that the man had the prized Dojutsu, especially as it was obvious that he wasn't of Uchiha descent. It would certainly explain why he was to be the last loyal Uchiha's tutor at least. He was the only one in the village who could train him in the use of his Kekkai Genkai, when it awakened of course.

The Jounin charged some kind of lightning technique that managed to cut through the metal supporting of who he assumed was Omega's neck easily causing the body to collapse under the shock to the system. Naruto was about to worry when he noticed that the lustrous orb in the center of the chest hadn't gone out like the one's in the head's eye sockets. He grinned at the deceit, pleased with the abilities and planning skill of the two Droids. Oh yes, he had plans for them in the future.

As Kakashi fought the 'survivor', the headless Droid stood and readied its staff for the right opportunity to end the fight once and for all. It's chance came when Kakashi pinned it's partner's staff to the ground and prepared to decapitate it in the same manner as the first. His finishing technique was prevented when the headless Droid swung it's staff like a bat directly at Kakashi's waist. Naruto was just about to signal a retreat when Kakashi back-flipped to avoid the swing.

Naruto instantly saw what had happened. Earlier on in the fight, Kakashi had evaded the exact same attack in the exact same manner. The Droids had memorized it in every detail, including angles and trajectories, and used that to it's advantage. They forced Kakashi to dodge like that again, but altered the path of the swing just enough for the dodge to become ineffective. This time, the staff clipped his leg and made him lose control of the jump. The second Droid stood straight and used the movement and the counterbalance of the staff to throw a massive amount of momentum into a devastating roundhouse kick. It's metal, clawed foot caught Kakashi directly in the ribs and sent him hurtling into a tree where he slid painfully down the trunk to sit at the base. Naruto winced at the contact, but smiled anyway.

Magnaguard – Success!

He stepped out of the treeline to stand next to the training posts, clapping slowly. The two Magnaguards walked over to Kakashi and stood, one on each side. They grabbed one arm each and pulled him onto his knees, then dragged him to Naruto and supported him. Naruto looked down at the man before him, waiting for him to regain consciousness.

Kakashi came to slowly, confused and disoriented. Why was everything spinning? And why did his head hurt? His memory returned in a rush and he became aware of his compromised position. He struggled against the clawed hands weakly before he noticed the thickset black boots on the ground before him. His eyes followed the legs up to see Naruto's face grinning at him.

"Good Morning Hatake-san! I guess your rank in the Bingo book is well earned. After all, you fought pretty well against opponents never seen before on the entire continent! Anyway, I hope you won't mind if I take these?"

He knelt down and simply took the bells from his hip casually while his guards held him immobile. Once he had them, he stood back up and nodded to the two Droids. They released his arms and Kakashi stood up, wincing and watching them wearily. His main attention though was pointed at Naruto, and it was obvious he was furious, even without being able to see most of his face.

"Do you mind explaining to me why you thought it was a good idea to bring two of your... what-evers, to a test meant only for you and your teammates?"

"They are tools to be utilized. A Shinobi is expected and encouraged to use anything and everything at their disposal for the good of the mission. Would you prevent an Inuzuka from or Aburame from using their animal companions? Or a Hyuga or Uchiha from using their Dojutsu?" Here he made sure to glance at Sasuke noticeably. "Or perhaps a puppet user using their puppets would be considered unacceptable? These Droids are my companions, they are my birthright, they are my tools, and I will use them as I see fit. If that is for the good of Konoha, why do we have a problem?"

Kakashi thought it over for a moment, then shrugged with a smile.

"Point taken. But this test was meant for you guys exclusively." He turned to look off into the woods. "Hey Sakura, you can go ahead and come out now!"

After a brief pause, Sakura came out of the tree line fuming and moaning about her effort being wasted. Kakashi just kept grinning and waited for her to join them before continuing, making sure Sasuke heard them at the same again.

"Well Naruto, despite your unorthodox methods, you still managed to get not just one, but both bells so you pass. Sakura and Sasuke, you fail... miserably."

Naruto saw the tears in Sakura's eyes and the rage in Sasuke's and a thought occurred to him. Why would he do this? True he had got the bells and earned the right to be trained by Kakashi, however other than Taijutsu there was nothing he could really get from the man. The damn fox had ruined any chance of him ever truly being a Shinobi. The other two however, could use this training to become valuable assets to Konoha under Hatake's training. The least he could do was give the pair the chance to improve. If they couldn't handle it, then that's their problem.

"Actually Hatake-san..."

Naruto tossed the bells at the the other two. Despite her surprise, Sakura managed to catch hers, but since Saske was still buried up to the neck in the ground, his bounced off his head and landed right in front of him. Sasuke glared at him from his place and struggled even harder to get loose.

"They pass. I have no need of your training. It won't help me anyway, I have no use for your techniques."

The blond turned and walked away from the trio, heading to his bike. He snapped his fingers once and the two Magnaguards fell in step behind him on each side, Omega carrying his head tucked tight under his right arm.

"Naruto, wait. Are you really going to give up your chance to be a Shinobi, just to give it to these two?"

Naruto felt there was more to the situation, but the way the Jounin phrased it intrigued him, so he figured he would just go with it and figure it out from there. He didn't even stop walking as he swung a leg over the bike as his guards mounted the STAP's.

"Yeah..."

Kakashi looked at him gravely for a moment before grinning happily, his eye matching the look.

"Then you all pass!"

Despite the reactions of the other two, Kakashi never took his eyes from the boy and barely caught the nod, as well as him muttering something he could have sworn sounded like 'I knew it...'. Oh yes, he was going to keep an eye on that boy. His thoughts were broken by the other two Genin in the clearing.

"Sensei, what do you mean?"

"This test was one I designed to find out whether or not a team can function together as a single unis and act as a team should. The only one of you that showed capability of that was Naruto when he offered to work together with you both. Even after your actions, he was willing to sacrifice his career to give you two the chance to improve. Now while Konoha has a general rule against 'playing the hero', sometimes just that is necessary to ensure the survival of the team, completion of the mission, and the good of the village."

Naruto had to suppress a chuckle. The very thought of doing anything for the good of the village was damn near laughable.

Kakashi meanwhile, turned back to Naruto, but by he only caught the site of him revving the engine on the speeder bike and disappearing into the forest. He would have to catch up with him later on if he wanted to talk. He sighed and looked back at Sakura.

"We will meet up tomorrow for our first mission. Meet me at the bridge at seven sharp. Oh, and I don't really know what Naruto is capable of, but if you want any chance of catching up to him, you will have to crack down. Both of you."

He shot the both of them a final smile before disappearing in a swirl of leaves, leaving Sasuke still buried up to his neck and Sakura alone to help him out of the hole. Though it did give her the opportunity to hit Sasuke up for another date(s).

* * *

Kakashi landed next to a Shinobi clad in darkness with a white porcelain mask attached to their face. The shilver-haired cyclops winced as his knee shuddred from the damage it had caught from Naruto's punishment. Damn, that kid could hit hard!

"So Sempai, you finally allowed a team to pass huh?"

"Please, I didn't _allow_ them to do anything. They earned it. Well, Naruto did at least. The other two got lucky. Besides, you were watching the whole thing, weren't you?"

The ANBU didn't say anything, only nodded in confirmation.

"Would you mind explaining to me why?"

"Hokage-sama felt it would be best if there was another side of perspective for your report on the boy's progress. We want to know anything he is capable of after his disappearance."

"Alright, fair enough. I have a favor to ask though..."

"Yes, Sempai?"

"Other than the Hokage, any chance we could keep this just between us?"

The ANBU laughed quietly, breaking the emotionless exterior all of the shadow unit were fabled for.

"Not if you gave me all of your porn."

With that he disappeared instantly, only leaving behind a pile of leaves. Kakashi looked up into the wide, blue sky for a moment before shaking his head, laughing quietly.

"Damn it."

* * *

_A/N - _Well here it is, a hopefully unique twist on the Genin bell exam. I have no doubt that I am going to lose a lot of readers because of Kakashi getting his butt kicked, but I liked how it came out regardless. Remember, the only reason they managed to beat him was because they were something noone had ever seen before, and it survived what _should_ have been a kill-shot, making him stop paying attention to it. If he had been on top of his game, Kakashi probably would have won.  
Well, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.

Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai


	6. Desideratum

**A New Order : Desideratum**

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

* * *

As he weaved between the thick throng of trees in an attempt to stay on the path, Naruto allowed his mind to wander. Kakashi's test hadn't really come as a surprise, but he was still having conflicting thoughts about the man himself.

On one hand, he was a Shinobi and therefore unable to teach Naruto anything he could actually perform. Not illusions, not offensive techniques, nothing. But on the other, he probably hadn't reached the rank of Elite Jounin by being an idiot. The man had weathered missions that would, no doubt, kill him in his current state. If he really planned to teach Naruto what he could, perhaps he could pick up on those survival lessons? At the very least he would get some more combat experience using his current skill set. Besides, there was no way that someone could get to the rank of Elite Jounin without serving as a leader of some kind of team. Therefore, it was possible that he could convince the cyclops to teach him how to be a leader... maybe.

His thoughts were interrupted when he swerved to one side, roaring up the side of a fallen tree and using it as a ramp to jump over a natural barricade. His exhilarated whoop echoed through the forest, accompanied by the droning whine of his vehicle. He hadn't _lied, _really. He had found it in one of his garages, and he _had _fixed it up, he had just had some help.

Actually, one of the mechanic Droids and Kyle had brought him to it and used it to teach him how 'modern' vehicular technology worked. He was a hands-on kinda learner after all. After a frustrating hour, a couple of electric shocks, and a numb appendage or two, Naruto had finally gotten the basics down and rendered the busted up speeder into working condition, all under the supervision of Kyle of course. Directly after that had been driving lessons, which he had to admit, had been fun.

"Sire, may we make an inquiry?"

Naruto applied the brake as he was startled from his thoughts. He had actually forgotten that the two Guardians were there, because they were so quiet. Two beings that big were so stealthy, go figure.

"Yeah, go ahead."

"You... you are pleased with our results, yes?"

Naruto frowned at the question. He wasn't used to people asking him for his approval, even if they _were _seven foot tall killing machines. Hell, _especially _seven foot tall killing machines.

"Yeah. You guys did excellently. I am actually surprised you did so well, I was expecting you to take a lot more damage than you did."

"Thank you, Sire. We live to serve."

Despite the Droid lapsing back into silence, Naruto could tell it still wanted to ask him something.

"If you have a question, ask it. I don't want you guys walking on eggshells around me."

The Magnaguard remained quiet for a moment, piloting his STAP beside him

"We...are confused."

The blond cocked an eyebrow as he continued to maneuver between the foliage, coming closer the clearing that housed the compound.

"About what?"

"We do not take prisoners. We are programmed to kill."

It was Naruto's turn to be confused.

"You've never been ordered to show... mercy?"

The Droid shook his head and Naruto couldn't help but laugh.

"Well get used to it. You'll be doing it a whole lot more now that I'm around."

The machine nodded and slowed slightly, allowing Naruto to gain a bit of distance before falling in beside his brother.

"We are unsure of how to take the new Lord."

His words were in a specific Droid language that organic beings would find hard to translate and understand, so he had no problem talking to his companion who, normally quiet, met his gaze with the partially repaired head, held loosely by a couple of wires.

"...we shall watch him."

Yes, we shall."

* * *

Naruto staggered through massive double doors leading into the compound, his posture betraying his fatigue. The fight with Kakashi had taken longer than he had expected, and he was really starting to feel it. All he wanted was to lie down for about half an hour until the ache in his arms, legs, and wounds eased up some. For a minute he had a shining hope that he was going to get his wish, before he heard a call from behind him.

"Hey Naruto! How'd your exam go? HK told me that you called out some reinforcements, I thought you were going to have teammates helping you out?"

Naruto sighed in an exaggerated manner. He really didn't care that Kyle had stopped him, he just _really_ would have preferred to have gotten some sleep first.

"Well Master, we-"

"Hey, what did I tell you? I'm Master when we're training, and it doesn't look like we're training right now."

"Right, sorry Mas-...uh..."

Kyle watched with a glitter of amusement in his eye as Naruto deliberated on what to call him. Once the novelty of the boy's predicament started to wear off, he decided to take mercy on the kid.

"Just call me Dude, or Sir or whatever. Hell, even Kyle would work. I've never been one for formality anyway."

Naruto grinned up at him. Anyone who would fore-go the formalities was good in his book.

"You got it. Anyway, the exam was...ugh...well, we passed."

The Jedi took his tone to mean that the 'pass' was a borderline fail, and for some reason he took even more amusement from it.

"What's this? You only just made Genin and you're already struggling? I thought you were going to be more impressive than that. Wasn't 'The Great Naruto' going to take the world by storm?" Naruto snorted.

"Oh shut up! There was more to the test than he had told us, and it was through blind luck that we failed. My teammates... they're idiots."

Kyle laughed, but his eyes became somewhat guarded and his voice got serious.

"Even so, make sure to take care of them, okay? You guys are a team now, they are your responsibility. If you want to be a leader, you have to start learning how. From the sound of it you are going to be watched by your teacher for a while, so you pretty much have an easy pass until he leaves. Use this time wisely, alright?"

"Yes, Master." The Jedi Guardian laughed.

"Well, I guess that _did_ technically count as me mentoring you, huh?"

"Yup!"

"Well how about you just go take a break and relax? You look like you are about to drop right here in the hallway."

Naruto gave the man a tired but pleased nod and pushed his way into his private chambers, barely noticing that the indention in the wall adjacent from his door had been repaired. The door behind him was pulled to by one of the -50's guarding hid door, shrouding the room in darkness while the curtains blocked out the bright sunlight. He sat heavily on the edge of the bed and fumbled with his boots. When the damned laces came loose, he collapsed back onto the soft bed, covering his eyes with the crook of one elbow.

* * *

His sleep was restless and plagued with visions from the dream realm. The most prominent of the dreams found him standing on a tall hill, watching a small scale invasion. Two armies were facing off, quiet as they made preparations to do battle. One side had far more people, and stood on the outside of a large fortification. A towering wall stood before the intruders, atop which were a series of figures were stationed in preparation to guard it.

To his left outside the walls stood a contingent of men in proud, light colors. Whites, blues, and greens blending together to form a montage of light. The majority of men wore a strange uniform, with an organized series of colors and helmets that hid their features. Mostly plain whites, with blues, reds, and other colors. Distributed unevenly throughout the armored troops were men and women in simple robes of browns and whites. These people would walk between the soldiers, speaking to each of them and occasionally making a series of strange motions with their hands before a healthy glow befell on the man, which faded away slowly.

The troops in armor had blaster rifles either in their hand, or holstered on their back awaiting their calling, and a small side arm fitted to their hip. The other men and women lacked any blaster weapons at all, instead their only weapons were a simple metallic tube that Naruto recognized as the signature weapon of both Jedi and the Sith, the lightsaber.

On the opposite side of the wall and in control of the massive fortress, an opposing army stood defiantly. Again, the majority of the infantry were of a uniformed variety, easily distinguishable as foot-soldiers. These soldiers he could easily identify as Droids, though they were of a variety that he felt he had seen before. Actually, they were almost as refined as the HK series, and of an almost identical design.

Instead of the human leaders interacting with the various infantry as their light counterparts were, the dark-robed men and women were standing together in a group. Naruto wished he could make out what they were doing, but the distance was just too great for him to see the subdued motions they were making. Whatever the results of their action, it was big. An aura of energy had been conjured around them, whipping up small clouds of dust at their feet, creating a waist high whirlwind to surround them.

As Naruto looked onwards the two armies suddenly sped into motion, as though he was watching a movie in fast-forward. While the forces of Light continued to make their preparations for war and gathered reinforcements from huge flying vehicles, those of Darkness were doing something rather more sinister.

The ritual the Sith had been performing had reached a crescendo. The circle of men and women had stepped outward, putting much more space between each other and adding to the emptiness in the center of the circle. Almost as though they were making room for something.

"_Master..."_

A faint voice echoed through his dream-scape as he watched the scene before him unfold. The tornado of wind and dust had not only gotten larger in both size and intensity, lightning had also started to flash within the controlled tempest.

"_Master, you must wake up."_

That damned voice was disturbing his concentration on the events at hand. Even given the distance between him and the Sith, he could still hear their fevered chanting. Even though he couldn't make out the words being spoken, the syllabic chant filled him with a sense of power, sending a charge of anxiety through him.

"_Master! Wake Up!"_

* * *

Naruto sat up abruptly and looked around, bewildered. Standing next to his bed, one of the -50's was trying to wake him up.

"What! What's going on?"

"_HK-47 has returned from his mission, Master. He is in rather poor condition and has important news."_

Naruto leapt out of the bed and pulled on his black boots, not bothering to lace them all the way up. Rather, he settled on tying them in a loose knot that circled around the back, holding them on tightly.

"What do you mean 'poor condition'? Is he alright?"

"_Yes Master, but we must hurry." _The Droid was practically pacing back and forth, eager to complete his order. _"It seems that he has seen combat and took some rather critical damage. He is currently being repaired, but the news he brought cannot wait. Master Bane feels that your presence may be required, which is why you need to hurry up."_

"Alright, I'm ready. Lead the way."

"_Excellent, follow me."_

* * *

Their walk to the War-room was brisk with no conversation and when they arrived, the young apprentice threw the double doors wide dramatically. Within the room a small crowd had gathered which was rather surprising. Kyle and Bane were both standing on either side of the map table which had yet to be modified to match the new Elemental Countries. A number of mechanical Droids blocked his view of whatever they were leaning over and were performing a variety of tasks. Behind them were a couple of -50's, all looking anxious.

"Hey? What's going on?"

Kyle met his eye with a look of worry, while Bane's was subjective.

"Hey Kid, we might have a problem. ,

"What kind of problem? Like, a 'Ramen-has-been-discontinued' problem, or a 'HK-47-managed-to-slice-into-the-munitions-warehouse' problem?"

Despite the situation at hand, Kyle couldn't help but give a chuckle.

"Hey, don't even joke about that Dude. Could you _imagine_ what that would be like?"

Bane frowned and cleared his throat, which had come to be the signal between them that this wasn't the time for joking around and that the two others needed to shut the hell up.

"This is far more severe than either of those scenarios, as... unfortunate, as they both would have been." Naruto snorted, but allowed the Sith Lord to continue. "-47 had the mission objective of traveling to Wave Country in order to convey information to our few followers there. After the message had been given, he was to return here without alerting anyone of his position."

"You sent HK-47... on a _stealth_ mission?"

Bane shot the lad a heated glance, allowing his lack of patience to show.

"This is a matter of extreme sensitivity. HK knows how to behave himself when he needs to."

"**Sarcasm**: Oh yes, _he_ does."

At the familiar mannerism of his favorite Droid, Naruto pushed between the gathered automatons to reach the table-side, only to recoil in shock.

"**Detached Statement**: Yes, it is rather unappealing, isn't it?"

From the waist down the rust-red Droid had been cut completely in half. The metal was cleanly sheared through as though cut by a lightsaber, only without the scarring.

"What the Hell! What happened to you!"

"**Answer**: Apparently, at some point attention had been drawn to my presence and I was followed. Veiled Threat: I seem to have been sold out, and I am rather looking forward to finding both the informant, and the Meatbag that rendered me to such a state."

Kyle leaned over the lower half of the assassin Droid, examining the damage.

"We found him about seventeen miles from Wave's border. If he hadn't activated his distress beacon we may never have found him. He also seems to have a damage memory core, because he is unable to give us any details pertaining to who attacked him."

"**Rebuke**: I told you! I will know him when I see him, and when I do he's mine."

The Droid's eyes had gained a look that screamed bloodlust and Naruto took a step back. Epic Sith/Jedi crossbreed destined for awesomeness or not, HK could still scare the hell out of him when he wanted to.

When Kyle had finally sated his curiosity, he nodded to himself and stepped back, allowing the mechanics access to their lead assassin. Instantly the chassis of the head engineer slid open to reveal a blowtorch which immediately lit and heated until the flame ignited from one end glowed a bright blue.

"**Threat**: Be careful where you point that torch, slag heap! One misplaced cut and I will feed you into a garbage disposal."

The aged Sith Lord shook his head in exasperation and pulled Kyle and Naruto away from their... friend?

"Come, we must give them space to work or their work will be inefficient."

They left the War-room, leaving behind the screeching of metal cutting metal and HK's angry shouts of indignation.

* * *

"Master Kyle, what was HK doing in Wave Country? Isn't that area supposed to be really poor?"

"Yeah, it is. Plus it has been under control of a tyrant with a malicious streak a mile-wide for the last couple of months. HK was out there running a little bit of recon, planting suspicion, and supplying a couple of rebels."

The group of three were wandering idly through the halls of the compound as they talked, with no specific destination in mind.

"Rebels? The situation has gotten so bad that they are ready to take such drastic steps?"

Master Bane shook his head.

"Not quite. They are getting close, but they haven't truly come to accept their desperation yet. Freedom isn't just given, it has to be wanted enough to be fought for. Still, they are coming close."

Naruto nodded, filing away the information for later use. Since the first day or two since he woke up, he had come to terms with the fact that everything his two Masters said was a lesson in and of itself. Well... maybe Bane more than Kyle, but still.

As he thought about the oppressed people of Wave, he couldn't help but wonder what their fate would be. A strange thought struck him though, and he turned to Kyle.

"This country, it wouldn't happen to be a place suitable for say... an Order?"

The Jedi didn't answer, only shot him a wink and grin combo. The Sith Lord just chuckled softly.

"I would suggest you put it out of your mind for now. You will have time to deal with that in the future. For now however, you have training to do, don't you?"

"Yes Master. I sort of got my butt kicked during the exam, so I'm going to get some more work done with the Force. I still can't connect to it as quickly as I would like. Oh, hey!" He turned to Kyle, grinning happily. "Thanks for teaching me Barrier. That damned Uchiha almost roasted me earlier on with a friggin' fireball."

"On purpose!"

"NO NOT ON PURPOSE! The gitt was aiming at Kakashi, but he dodged. Unfortunately, I was on the other side at the time. I managed to throw a Barrier up just in time though, so I'm fine."

Kyle laughed and offered him a fist pound.

"Hell yeah! Force: 1 Nin-Jutsu: 0"

The boy laughed as he punched Kyle's outstretched hand.

"So, going to work on the Force huh? Offensive or Defensive? Because I don't think either of us have anything planned."

"Actually I was just going to, you know, meditate and stuff. I'm still not very good at that and need to work on it."

The two teachers glanced at each other and Bane nodded. Kyle cleared his throat before crossing his arms and looking down at Naruto sternly.

"Not very good hm?"

Naruto felt a chill at the man's look, and he knew he was in trouble over something. He also had a feeling that he knew what it was about as well.

"Uhhh... no?"

"Well I would say that that's not entirely true. After all, you seemed to have been doing fine earlier when you were waiting for your Squad Leader."

Naruto chuckled sheepishly and rubbed his neck. Apparently that was a habit he had yet to break.

"Oh that? Well you see... I was just... uh..."

His two teachers just looked down at him, despite his height, until his stammering trailed off.

"We taught you how to levitate a _single_ knife for a reason. Why would you go against us and lift two at the same time without our permission?"

Naruto cast his eyes downward and shrugged.

"I thought I was ready. Besides, it's not like I wasn't able to do it or anything..."

"Still, if we felt you were ready for it we would have told you how to do it."

"Did you consider what would have happened had you been _un_able to perform it correctly?"

"I would have gashed my hand?"

Kyle rubbed his mouth to hide a laugh while Bane just closed his eyes for a moment.

"This time, yes. But what if you had tried something more advanced? Force Lightning for example? You have a powerful affinity for the Force, that is undeniable. But you still have to follow the rules like every other Force-sensitive."

"You know how much it would suck if you went and killed yourself with a technique that you thought you were ready for, and turned out wrong?"

Naruto couldn't help but laugh, then nodded.

"Yeah yeah, I know. I just feel like I could be doing better than I am. Like I should be learning faster."

"That's just natural man! Everyone wants to be stronger faster. The point is, you can't rush this stuff. It'll lead you down a path you don't want to follow."

Kyle caught the look Bane was sending him, and he was quick to amend his words.

"Not that that's a _bad_ thing, it just might not be the one _you_ want to travel. Just... look, just promise us that you won't try something more advanced without asking us first, okay? A lot of stuff you could play around with for now but there are some things that are extremely dangerous if you don't know how to handle it."

Naruto nodded seriously, and gave his word.

"Excellent. Now go ahead and do your meditating. We'll send a Droid when it's time to eat. I want details about your fight by the way, alright?"

"Deal. See you later Kyle, Master Bane."

With that the boy turned left and left his two mentors to their own without a second glance. The pair watched him go for a moment before Kyle broke the silence.

"Now, where's that damaged -50 with the concussion from earlier?"

"I believe he was in the Library, raising Cain."

* * *

- Meditation Chamber : 'Aquarus' -

There was no single meditation chamber in the compound. Rather, there were six. The reason for this being that different people found it more or less difficult to connect with the Force depending on their surroundings. Many in fact, found that meditating surrounded by technology was disturbing and made it hard to concentrate. The constant electric hum and discharges were in stark contrast to the constant peace that came with the Force in its neautral state. A solution was proposed by a Jedi Knight one day, that perhaps replicating a different environment would correct this problem. Naturally everyone found this idea to be a good one, and voted to make it a reality.

There arose a new problem: conflicting ideals. Some Jedi found it easier to make the connection when life was abundant. Others were more at ease around water or when being caressed by gusts of wind. Then there were those who were more comfortable in adverse conditions, fire, light, or even darkness.

In order to please as many people as possible at once, the Jedi Council proposed a compromise, and built a variety of facilities with vast differences. Thus, the Hexa-Chamber was designed and built. With each section completely separate from the others, anyone could meditate without interference from disagreeable natures.

When the Sith learned of this they were quick to copy it and adapt it to suit their alternative ideals. While the Jedi Hexa-Chamber was meant to instill peace and serenity in those meditating, the Sith's fought that serenity. The natures in each of those rooms were made to be punishing, distracting, they were designed to prevent those of the Dark Side from easily connecting with the Force. Through conflict, the chambers made them stronger by forcing them to connect to the Force while ignoring things going on around them, to help them keep their concentration despite their surroundings. Still, they had been wise enough to allow for changes to the chambers in order to adapt to the needs of the Sith. The power levels in each of the rooms could be individually changed to suit the preference of whoever was using them. If that person wished for peace, so be it.

This was one of the first lessons in history Naruto had been taught by Master Bane. He had been told of the place on his second day, and was instructed to use the facility whenever he meditated. Overall he liked the Hexa-Chamber and spent a good deal of his free time in the chambers, never spending too much time in any one at the exclusion of the others. Bane had warned him about becoming too specialized, and he had to make sure that he didn't get into the habit of ignoring any of the different environments provided.

Each of the rooms represented different forms of elements and nature. Aquarus was that of an area in which water was plentiful. A large body of water filled the room with the exception of a single island in the center. Small and round, it was big enough for a couple of people to sit side-by-side moderately comfortably. The water itself was circulated by jets and currents in the walls to prevent the water from stagnating, and the motions caused waves to lap against the sides of the island. When the power was raised the currents would speed up and throw water more powerfully against the island and those meditating.

Windus was somewhat simpler, and its design was a simple wind turbine. With perfectly smooth walls in a precise circle, powerful fans would blow wind into the room until a light breeze would circulate around the people in the center. When powered, the fans would quicken until the light breeze became a punishing gale. Combined with the howling of the wind and the miniature tornado that would result, very few found it simple to meditate openly in the harsh conditions.

Flarus was a hell of its own, literally. Devoted to heat and fire, Flarus mimicked the inside of a volcano. In the center on a cooled platform, the practitioner was protected not only from the rising heat from the oven-like machines surrounding the room, but also the flames and molten rock that surrounded the platform. The sight of bobbing metal and debris was the least of a Sith's worries when the deathtrap was activated to its full potential. Despite the intimidating atmosphere however, the heat levels remained below fatal,. Still, it was ill-advised to stay inside for too long, especially without staying hydrated.

His favorite was the chamber entitled 'Groundus'. Groundus was an area that replicated life itself. It's passivestate replicated a secluded grove in the middle of a massive forest. Large trees and smaller bushes surrounded practitioners on all sides. It also was programmed to mimic the sounds of such an area as well. The songs of birds, the chirp of insects, and the various growls and calls of animals, both herbivorous and carnivorous, were all played loudly in the effort of distracting whoever was attempting 'inner peace'.

Finally, the last two chambers were not devoted to the elements: Blindus and Shroudus. Both were fairly straight forward, though exact opposites. Blindus was a pure white and extremely illuminated area that cast no shadow, other than that of the meditator. A system of lights attached to the ceiling were programmed to constantly cycle randomly in a motion path. The resulting features were extremely debilitating and potentially dangerous due to the possibility of exposure.

Blindus meanwhile was a painted a perfect black. The inside lacked any form of lighting whatsoever other than black-lights, which were only put in place to aid in reaching and returning from the specific training area within the chamber. With the sense of sight rendered ineffective by any means, the other senses were heightened to the point that the sounds created by the chamber were brutal to the unprotected senses.

Over his time in training with his Masters in the Force, Naruto had meditated in each of the chambers to varying degrees of success. He still found it difficult to focus when surrounded by the impenetrable darkness provided by Shroudus, and he was practically terrified of the idea of Flarus on its maximum setting. Still, his progress had been unhindered and he had even come to enjoy his time spent in meditation.

The apprentice allowed a smile to twist his lips as he breathed quietly. The soft sound of lapping waves brought a metronome, bringing an ease to his thoughts while he focused on his meditation. Before he had changed, he would probably have had trouble staying quiet and still for such a long period of time. Now however, he was able to fully concentrate on the matter at hand.

As he took another deep inhalation, he felt himself start to get a little light-headed. Feeling that perhaps he wasn't getting enough oxygen or something, he continued taking deeper and deeper breaths until he had the strange sensation of... falling?

* * *

- ? -

When the moment had passed, he had the weird feeling that he was in a different place than he was just a few seconds ago. He opened his eyes cautiously and was rather proud of himself for restricting his reaction to a quiet gasp.

Instead of a meditation chamber surrounded by water, he was sitting cross-legged in the middle of a massive fairground. The type that was prevalent in Konoha every year right around his birthday. Large tents, attractions, rides, and even those crappy games that no one ever really won at.

The only difference he could see between the one in Konoha and that which he was standing in was the complete lack of people. Everywhere he looked was abandoned. The stores, the games, the rides, the attractions, everything. There was no evidence that anyone had been there in days, or even weeks.

There was however, the strange fact that everything that _did_ remain, all seemed to point in a single direction, to a single destination. Toys and prizes dropped by children lay facing the same way, the cones cotton candy came served in pointed in the same direction, and the hands of every clock he could find indicated to the East, regardless of what time they showed in the process. Hell, even the weeds that grew around the tents seemed to grow in the same direction. It was impossible to see if he tried examining it directly, but when he ignored it or stared straight forward, the 'path' became clear to him.

With nothing else to go on and unsure of how he had gotten there, though he did have a sneaking suspicion, he started to make his way down the invisible 'path'. What bothered him though, was that when he tried to go in a different direction, to get off the 'path', he would encounter a strange form of resistance. Like his body refused to follow his orders, regardless of how much he wanted to. Resigning himself to go wherever he was being drawn, he took a deep breath to steady his resolve and started walking.

Whatever the boy had been expecting, it wasn't what he found. For an hour he walked, and the view never changed. An abandoned child's toy, rotting food half eaten, and footprints in the patches of soft dirt. The only indication that he was nearing whatever his destination was, was the unavoidable fact that the signs of the previous inhabitants became more and more numerous. Eventually the dirt was tightly packed from the weight of constant feet pressing it downward and his sandals made padded thumps as he passed over the tatters of the past, disturbing the remnants for the first time in however long it had been.

Eventually his voyage began to bear fruit as the daunting silence of the fairground was broken. At first the sound was quiet enough to be inaudible, but as he neared the source, it got louder and louder until he was able to hear it clearly enough to make it out. Carnival music. The exact same kind that was prevalent at every carnival or fairground across the world. Accompanying it was another familiar sound, that of a Barker. The creepy man who stood outside one of the largest of the tents, that of one of the fair's biggest attractions, the Freak Show.

"Come one come all! We have gathered all manna' of beasties an' monsta's from around the world to bring you the only the best finest quality entertainment!"

Though faint from distance, Naruto could sense something... off, about the man's voice. A darkly layered echo, like multiple voices were trying to speak from a single throat. A sound that was vaguely familiar to him, as though he had heard it before and recently. Prodded forward by curiosity, the blond found himself walking towards the voice once more, despite the crawl up his spine.

"Pygmy savages from the great forests of the South! Mer-folk and Crocodile-men from the far East! Fortune tellers and witch doctors from the West! We have it all! For the laughable price of two bits you can sate your appetite of curiosity. See sights that you could only dream of in your coldest of nightmares, and your darkest imaginings!"

Turning a corner of food vendors, Naruto finally found where the other people of the carnival grounds had disappeared to. They all stood in a single large throng outside one of the biggest tents he had seen so far. Unable to see between the thick mass of people all trying to take a peek through the thick canvas folds, Naruto tried to push through the crowd, only to be shoved back angrily by an older man who gave him a dirty glare.

Ignoring the creepy man, the boy looked around for a suitable means of seeing over the crowd. His search paid off when he found an old milk-crate in suitable enough condition for him to push onto it's side and stand on. As he clambered onto the rotting wood, it occurred to him that not only was he no longer as tall as he was in the real world, (he had long decided that there was no way this could be real) but he was shorter than he had been in years, since before he had joined the academy. Aided by the crate, the young child was finally able to see over the heads of the crowd and see the speaker.

The man reminded him of the wandering traders who would pass through Konoha a couple of times a year. Their arrival was one of the few things Naruto had truly looked forward to and he eagerly anticipated whenever they would find themselves in the Village of the Leaves. Every time the men, women, and children would show up they would bring with them wonders from outside Konoha's walls. Pretty rocks, gems, and jewelry to be sold to traders and merchants. Exotic weapons and armor in styles highly uncommon in the Shinobi village. There was even one man in particular who called himself 'The Beast Master, who would show off his collection of strange and dangerous creatures he had gathered.

Along with the sights, sounds, and food, Naruto enjoyed their presence for another reason. They cared not for whatever reason he was different. To them, he was just another curious little boy with a bit of extra spending money and a hungry belly. They would sell him food and odd toys and trinkets for the same price as the next man, and they were never angry with him unless one of them was the victim of one of his pranks. After the first few times though, Naruto had come to appreciate their hospitality to such an extent that he was sure to behave himself whenever they were present, and _never_ made them a target...mostly.

The short weeks that the road-weary people were in town were always the happiest of the boy's short life. For once he was able to run and laugh and play with children his own age without worry. He was able to get into trouble and pointless playful fights without fear of unfair retribution. He would even go so far as to say that some of the kids from their caravans were some of his closest friends.

The Barker who stood adressing the crowd was dressed in the style common of the gypsy-folk. Long dirty and torn cloack, dark colors and a tall black hat. Around his hands were filthy bandagse and his face was a step away from monstrous. His teeth were irregular and a mangey yellow, lips chapped and raw, and his skin was marred by multiple scars. As Naruto was examining the man, the Barker turned his eyes directly to him.

"Ah-ha-ha! And what do we have here? You! In the orange! Come here boy."

Naruto looked around in confusion of who the man was calling to, only to see everyone around him wearing a bland shade of dark grey. As every pair of eyes fell on him, he felt a blade of fear pierce his chest and his heartbeat caught in his throat. He didn't even need to look down to know that he was once more wearing his orange outfit that he had owned for so many years.

"Yes, you. Come here."

Naruto felt his body step off of the box and approach the man in slow motion, completly detached from his mind. The entire feel was as though he was watching himself go thruogh the motions with no call on what he did. As he moved, he had the mad hope that the crowd would refuse to let him pass, but that ray was buried when the men, women, and children parted easily to give him a straight path to the stage.

"Yes, I thought so. Do you know who I am, boy?" He merely laughed as Naruto shook his head, eyes wide in terror. Up close the man was even more terrifying than he was at a distance.

"No, of course you wouldn't. Why would you want to? Well allow myself to introduce myself."

The Barker tipped his hat with a dark grin, and a small business card fell from the brim to land on the ground at Naruto's feet.

"My name is Mikhail. This..." He spread his arms wide, indicating the massive grounds. "...is my world! Here your dreams are fantasies, and your nightmares are reality."

"How..how did I get here? Where am I?"

The filthy man laughed, and the faceless crowd watched on impassively and silently.

"You are in my realm boy!"

"What are you talking about! I was just in Konoha an hour ago! I was meditating in a chamber. There is no way I could be anywhere else. I wasn't traveling to new areas, I was exploring my mind!"

The man laughed and turned his back to the boy, tapping his long, bandaged fingers on the microphone. The malicious glance over his shoulder sent a cold chill down Naruto's spine.

"How do you know you aren't?"

"That's... that's impossible! There's no way. If this is my mind I would be alone. There wouldn't be all these people here. _You_ wouldn't be here!"

The Barker laughed maliciously and a flash of lightning lit up his face hideously before it was once more shrouded in darkness.

"In a perfect world perhaps, but you my boy are anything but. These people are nothing but fragments of your memory. Faceless apparitions, nothing more. _I_ am the one you need to be afraid of."

Naruto swallowed hard, forcing the lump down his throat.

"What are you?"

"Well that's a rather rude question don't you think? Someone might take offense to a question like that." Another lightning flash, this time followed cloesly by a loud roll of thunder. "I guess you should just count yourself fortunate that I myself am a gentleman."

The dark man stepped closer to Naruto, twirling his cane absently.

"Still, you seem to be a lad that doesn't like to beat around the bush, so I'll cut to the chase. I am a part of something you had thought you had lost."

Naruto's eye darkened considerably.

"Kyuubi?"

Mikhail snarled and waved his hand dismissively.

"A name given by these new humans, nothing more. But yes, you are correct. The 'Kyuubi' was more than just a tool to be used and discarded. As time went by after the apocalypse, after every life was destroyed by your Master,"

His lips drew back in a snarl as he spat the word.

"The nine beasts lay dormant. Pure power they might have been, but they still had to be a physical manifestation and those bodies were severly damaged from the weapon. By the time they had awoken from their slumber, the simple magiks the Sith summoned to control that manifestation had deteriorated. They simply weren't powerful enough to control them and the Dark energy began to hunger for more power, for knowledge. The shell wanted a life, a soul. With the power given to them by their creators, the beasts individually began to consume the life that had grown during their rest. Eventually the essence of those devoured began to meld, creating a single entity composed of knowledge and memory and intelligence."

The Barker stepped closer to Naruto, who equaled with a step back. The boy was unsure of what the man was getting at, but he was certain that he should keep as much distance between them as he could.

"Then these... humans, began to get wise. They started to fear us and what our power meant. What we could do to them while they were powerless to stop us. Over time they taught themselves ways to take our power away from us. They learned to hurt us, much to our disgust. Finally and only recently, they developed away to use their bastard powers to seal us away. To trap us in the bodies of their own."

"Yeah yeah, I know the history. They would seal _you_ into human hosts, called Jinchuuriki."

Mikhail's eyes flashed red and thunder split the night sky, as though a manifestation of the being's anger.

"Watch yourself _boy_. You will address me with respect or I will slaughter you and take your body as a puppet!"

Naruto swallowed hard again, but refused to back down. He locked eyes with the man until he gave a reluctant smile.

"You are different from the others, there is no doubt. We will see how this serves you. I have had countless hosts, and every time one would die I would gain their knowledge, their essence, everything. With every sacrifice I would grow stronger. I guess you could say I had a pretty sweet deal going until your damn Masters screwed it up."

Frustration colored the beast's tone again, and he started pacing like a tiger in a cage.

"They are from the time before the end. They know my secret, and they took my power from me. All I have left are memories. This is where you come in."

"Me?"

"Yes, you simpleton. While I have no body, I can still extend my influence through you. There are those who are still loyal to us, despite our conditions. They have served us well and they will continue to do so."

Naruto crossed his arm in defiance.

"Why do you think I would help you? You're evil for cryin' out loud!"

Mikhail smiled cruelly.

"'_Evil is a word used by the ignorant and the weak. The dark side is about survival. It's about unleashing your inner power. It glorifies the strength of the individual.' _A Sith mentor, Zannah, once said that thousands of years ago. You will help me because I know things that those two fools couldn't begin to comprehend. They think themselves so high and mighty, but they are only afraid of the true power of the Dark Side. Even Bane falters in the face of true potential."

"And I am supposed to belive that you will just _give_ me all of this out of the kindness of your heart?"

"Of course not. My worshippers have the means to release me from my chains. I may never return to my full power and even if I do it will take centuries, but at least I will be alive again."

"How do I know you won't betray me as soon as you get the chance? Maybe your 'followers' will kill me in order to free you. Why should I trust you?"

"I guess you will just have to go for it, won't you? Don't worry though, you have time before you have to make a decision. Before you start to think on it though, I am going to give you a taste of what I know."

The man spun around quickly, grabbing Naruto's arm in his vice-like grip. As soon as skin met skin, Naruto felt a searing heat flood his arm. The fire quickly spread up his arm directly to his head, which blinded him with a brilliant white flash. Despite being unable to see anything around him, he began to see flashes of images that weren't his. One after the other in instant succesion, the boy had no choice but to suffer through the onslaught until they finally stopped and he was able to gasp for breath.

Nodding at the boy on the ground at his feet, Mikhail stepped away from him to give him some space. After a few minutes of recuperating, Naruto stood up slowly and breathing heavily.

"What... What was that?"

"That was a memory of a time long past. Tell me what you saw."

When he was able to breath normally, Naruto rubbed his aching temples and focused on what he had seen.

"Two men, fighting."

"Do you know who they were?"

"One was wearing dark robes, a Sith?"

Mikhail nodded silently in approval.

"And the other was... Kyle!"

"Yes, that's right. It was a fight between your Master and a Dark Jedi years before my creation."

"If it was before you were made, how do you remember?"

The beast in human form just smirked and refused to answer.

"What else happened in your vision?"

"Well, Kyle and the man were fighting. At some point the Sith got distracted and Kyle used some kind of... technique, to kill him."

"What was the technique?"

Naruto closed in eyes in concentration, trying to recall the words that had echoed through his Master's mind when he manifested the weapon.

"Master Kyle had called it... The Spear of Midnight Black."

Mikhail grinned darkly, relying on his instinct to crush Naruto as he had others in the past.

"If you are truly worthy of the power you command, you should be able to use this ability. You have seen it done, you should be able to replicate it. Now prove to me what you can do. Show me."

Naruto focused on the lingering images of his Master and the faceless Sith fighting, trying to identify exactly what Kyle had done in order to create the shaft of darkness that had stricken down his opponent. He studied the scene frame-by-frame, entirely aware of the Kyuubi's presence staring at him. With a surprising amount of effort, he pushed his vigilant audience out of his mind, and a gain the fight played out before his time however, he caught a flash of something he had missed. There! A strange twisting motion with his right hand, followed by a shimmer around his arm as the Force performed its work.

Mikail was rendered speechless when the young mortal before him did the impossible. Despite never seeing the technique before, despite having no prior training in how to use it, Naruto was doing it. The unmistakable aura of the Dark Side was powerful as the invisible tendrils latched onto the shadows permeating the surrounding stage. With pulsing draws that could be felt to their very cores, the Force drew the darkness itself from the area towards the boy.

Fairly certain that he knew the secret to the technique, Naruto opened his eyes with a smile of confidence and with a deft twist, the boy mimicked Kyle's movement. He held one hand out in a loose fist facind downward, and his connection to the Force burned strongly as he commanded the near-sentient energy to obey his command.

As the Dark Side drew shadows from around him, Naruto used Neutral power to create an empty shell of a long shaft-like construct in his hand. When the air had hardened sufficiently to hold the darkness in place, Naruto gave the silent order and the shadows funneled into the shaft, filling it like water. When the basic shaft had fully filled, the remaining shadows organized themselves into a wicked head with a vicious blade, designed to tear and shred flesh and rend muscle from bone. When his effort was finally finished, Naruto gave a feral snarl and threw it with all his strength and a Force Push, launching the weapon at Mikhail. The Force Spirit was so surprised by the act of hostility that he barely had time to dodge the attack. Even then, the head had managed to rip through the side of his arm, tearing through the cloth easily and taking a small part of flesh to accompany it.

While the attack did no damage to the Barker whatsoever, Naruto was more interested to see the lack of blood from the wound. Rather, the affected area had emmited smokey black wisps before knitting itself back together, follwed closely by the fabric. The spear had continued on its path past Mikhail and had gone on to impale on of the faceless men in the crowd still surrounding the stage. The man gurgled in pain for a moment before both he and the weapon disentigrated, realesing the pent up energy they had both held.

The Dark-Construct glared at the boy in barely surpressed rage for a moment before his agner dispersed immideatetly with a simple laugh. Not only had the boy learned a Dark-side technique from only a memory, he had even had the gall to use it to attack one of the most powerful entities in the history of his world. Another laughed escaped him, and he looked at Naruto with a newfound respect. This boy truly did have potential. He hadn't expected for his jailer to be able to pull off the move at all, let alone in a single attempt. It should have been impossible, even for him! The boy had an affinity for the Force that surpassed even his own, as loathe as he was to admit it. If the two fools in the real world were allowed to have free reign to the boy's training, they would ruin all the boy could one day become. However, if Mikhail were to teach the boy what he could, not only would he have more influence in his development, it was also entirely possible that they would, eventually, find some way to destroy the seal that had kept him imprisoned for so long.

Unfortunately that day was, without a doubt, years from now. Still, at the very least he could use the boy to remind the world why it had once quaked in fear at his very name. No sooner had the mighty being thought that, a related thought struck him. This boy... he could reunite his brothers and sisters! The other eight Beasts of Power. Brought together under the command of a single strong leader, they could once more be a Force to reckoned with. Over the centuries, conflict had roared between themselves and in order to prevent a confrontation that would rock the world, they had been forced to seperate themselves from each other or risk total destruction. Beings of such power were destined to vie for dominance over each other, after all. However, if they were to be united by one with such a strong affinity to the Force... Mikhail grinned at the sheer possibilites of the thought. Oh yes, he would train this boy to be all he could be. And the world would once more fear the Beasts as they did before they began to fight back.

"Yes, you are indeed powerful in the Force, aren't you?"

Almost instinctally, Naruto beamed at the praise before frowning again at the Carnival figure.

"And it would be a terrible thing for all that power to go untapped now, wouldn't it? Leave this world and rest. The next time you meditate, I will have more to teach you. I warn you however, do not tell your Masters of your new abilities. It will raise questions that neither of us are ready to answer. Do you understand?"

The blond gave a silent nod before the world around him began to fade. Colors bled to various shades of grey, the people and buildings faded into nothing, and he was only left with a soft whisper, carrying over the winds of his mind.

'_Take care, boy...'_

* * *

- Meditation Chamber : 'Aquarus' -

Naruto jerked sharply as a wave of freezing cold water sloshed over him. At some point someone must have raised the difficulty setting on Aquarus, because the once calm waters had grown into a frenzious storm. Reaching out with the Force, Naruto manipulated the dial to a weaker state and waited patiently for the waves to die down. The muscles in his legs protested when he stood up, and he winced as the feeling flooded back into them. The large metal doors slid open to grant him access to the rest of the compound, and he shuddered as the cold hit his abnormally warm skin. That was one of the downsides to having a heightened body temperature, cold air sucked when you were wet.

His thoughts were filled with the Kyuubui's, Mikhail's face. Was he to be trusted? Why was he _really_ going to teach him new techniques? One thing he new for certain was that answers weren't going to materialize out of thin air. Maybe a good night's sleep would help him out. A smile tugged at his lips at the thought of his warm bed, and his pace quickened. It would be good to get out of his wet clothes.

* * *

_A/N : _Well there you again. I know a couple of you were wondering what had happened to HK-47 but there he is. If anyone doesn't quite get what I'm doing with the Kyuubi or if you have any questions, feel free to ask me in a review or a PM. I do my best to answer every one I get, so I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Stay Frosty...

- Nikolai


	7. Futility

**A New Order : Futility**

_A/N : Long time, personal life, yadda yadda. You know the drill, longer Author's Note at the end._

Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

- Uchiha Compound : Clan-Head Home -

Sasuke was furious as he prepared himself for the day ahead. Somehow, against all reason, Naruto had fared better than he had during Kakashi's bell test a couple of weeks ago. While that alone was unacceptable, what made matters worse was the fact that he and Sakura had only passed because Naruto was willing to sacrifice his Shinobi career for them. On top of that, ever since then he had slowly been establishing himself as the team leader every time they had a mission assignment.

The boy ground his teeth at the very thought and strapped a shuriken pouch to his thigh. They were probably still only going to be doing 'D' rank missions for a while, but it never hurt to be prepared. A flash of movement caught his eye and he moved with it, hoping to see what it was. The chill of disappointment ran through him when he saw his reflection in a full length mirror in the hallway leading inward from the front entrance. He could have sworn that…? No, he wasn't going there again.

Without a second glance to the cold and empty house, he pulled the door shut behind him without bothering to lock it. No-one would steal from an Uchiha after all. His breath split the cold air in a visible cloud and he rolled his shoulders to get his blood flowing. Today was unusually cool for the season, but he just couldn't make himself care. He was devoid of energy from yesterday and his sleep had been restless. Again.

He noticed that one of the stones in his garden was out of place and made a mental note to reorganize it later. One last deep breath and he was ready to meet his team at the bridge. Maybe they would be there on time today. Somehow, he doubted it.

Sakura paced back and forth nervously along the cobbled stone. Yesterday had been outright embarrassing. She hadn't contributed to the fight whatsoever; she hadn't even been good in a support role. She ran her hand through her long hair and squeezed her eyes shut tight. There was no way Sasuke would ever fall for a girl that couldn't be useful to him, and she had managed to prove that exact statement. Somehow, she needed to get stronger. For him!

The girl's thoughts were interrupted when the subject of her torment approached. Instantly her worries and doubts were set aside as she basked in the warm glow she got when he was near her.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke made quick eye-contact to acknowledge her greeting before turning, ignoring her completely. The girl did her best not to be disappointed by the act, but the rejection still stung as it did every time she was subjected to it. With a huff of resignation, the girl resigned herself to observing the focus of her obsession with thoughts of the future echoing pleasantly through her mind.

A lone Jounin sat atop a tree branch over the heads of his young students, his eyes sliding over the words of the book in his hands without taking them in. On one hand, he was still kind of pissed off about losing what remained of his dignity to a bunch of brats. On the other though, they all showed at least some potential, specifically Sasuke and Naruto.

Whatever had happened to the boy, it was total because the person he had fought against yesterday was nothing like what the official records described. While he should have been loud, hyper, and almost incapable of showing any level of maturity, during the challenge he had proved all that incorrect. He showed the ability to keep himself level-headed, perform pretty well against a severely superior opponent, an obvious attempt to work with people he didn't like for the good of the mission, and most importantly, he refused to just sit back and watch his teammates fail.

The man sighed softly and turned the page of the book. He had arrived half an hour early to find Sakura already waiting by the bridge and staring out across the water towards the sunrise. Twenty minutes later, Sasuke got there and leaned against the tree he was sitting in without noticing him. Now, half an hour later, they were still waiting for their final member to show up.

By the time an hour had passed after she had gotten there, Sakura was starting to get really irritated. Sasuke still refused to talk to her and both of their other teammates hadn't showed up yet.

"I swear, when Naruto shows up I'm gonna-"

Her complaints were cut off by the unique sound of Naruto's speeder-bike coming from the training grounds behind them. With much more skill than he had shown the day before, Naruto piloted the bike toward them and parked it alongside the bridge.

"Sup guys? Where's Kakashi?"

"That's Kakashi-Sensei to you, Naruto."

The boy looked up into the tree the voice came from, and Sasuke did an admirable job of hiding his jump of surprise, though he did move to a different tree.

"When you teach me something, Sir."

The cyclops laughed and jumped down from the branch, pocketing his book. At the same time he pulled out three envelopes and tossed them to his young charges. They all opened the separate packages and began reading over the contents while he explained the situation to them.

"Alright, well today is our first day as an official team of Konoha, so it's an important one. I have with me three extremely important missions that come with serious repercussions should they not come to completion. Do you understand me?"

"Babysitting some kids?"

"Weeding a garden?"

"Walking some dogs... you've gotta be kidding me!"

Kakashi laughed with his visible eye curled upward in a smile.

"Well, what do you guys want to do first?"

The three gathered together to all look over the mission assignments.

"Well, walking the dogs seems simple enough. The kids will be a bit of a handful and the weeding is just going to be some outright physical labor. I suggest we get the dogs out of the way while it is still pretty cool out here and before it gets hot. By the time we are done with that, we will be able to go to the civilian's house and babysit the kids. After that it will start cooling down again and we can weed that damn garden, then we can call it quits. Any objections?"

Sasuke glared at Naruto in irritation, not only because he was setting himself up as the leader of the group, but also because it was the most appropriate solution.

"Hn."

Team Seven had a mixed view of animals. Dogs, in particular. Naruto liked them, the bigger breeds at least. They were strong, smart, loyal, and friendly. They also like him which made their current task that much easier. He had taken the leash of the Great Dane and was having no problems with him whatsoever.

Sakura saw less an animal and more a stuffed toy. An accessory to play with. She thought dogs were cute, fluffy, and fun to dress up in silly outfits. She had been overjoyed when she was offered the leash of a Pomeranian. The feeling was one-sided though, as the living fuzzball kept darting between her legs in an attempt to trip her up at every opportunity. It had also taken to barking at everything it saw, and it saw _a lot _of things. This irritated her teammates immensely.

Sasuke hated dogs. Once, many years ago, he had been bitten by a passing Uchiha Guard's K9 companion. From then on he had hated the things. Partly because they were loud, mean, unclean beasts, but mostly because hatred was a better alternative than fear. To an Uchiha at least. Sasuke had reluctantly accepted to walk an old Boxer that hated him as much as he hated it. In the short time of interaction they had shared, they had come to an arrangement. The dog would walk at the same pace as the others so long as Sasuke didn't try to make it do anything it didn't want to do. This angered them both, but they suffered through it for the sake of professionalism.

Kakashi was proud of his team at the end of the two hours when they not only fulfilled their mission within the allotted time, but also that the Pomeranian was alive at the end of it. The tearful goodbye between Naruto and his massive charge was a bit much, but what's a little eccentricity between ninja? He let out a little man-giggle as Miko and her girlfriend spent some quality time together. For what seemed like the millionth time he found himself wishing that the series was put to film.

- Konoha Canopy : 3rd Floor -

Team Eight wasn't having much more luck, nor as good a time as Team Seven was. Their latest assignment under Yuuhi Kurenai was to aid in Pest Elimination of a fine hotel. They had been specifically requested for this job, as a more discreet method than outright fumigation. The Hotel had a reputation to keep after all. The idea was that Hinata would use her Byakugan to locate the heaviest concentrations of cockroaches in the walls, Shino would use his Kikai destruction beetles to fight and kill them within without endangering the inhabitants of the rooms with chemicals, and Kiba would draw attention away from their work. Kurenai had disappeared shortly after the start of the mission with the excuse of having 'Jonin stuff to do', though her students suspected that she might just not like cockroaches. A thought Hinata could sympathize with immensely.

The mission had been going pretty well for the first half hour before things collapsed. Hinata had the epiphany of how much she actually hated roaches thanks to her Blood-limit. Whenever she would see one of the insects, she would squeak and squeeze her eyes shut tight. Because the Byakugan could see through walls though, this was no help. The concentration she put into squeezing her eyes shut actually caused her Dojutsu to to zoom in on what she was looking at, resulting in a close up of scratching legs and slimy carapace. Without fail, this would make her pass out, forcing Shino to search out the bug with what vague info he had managed to gleam from his spotter before she went down.

Shino's problem was much worse than Hinata's and believe it or not, more embarrassing. Instead of waging war on the Hotel's roach infestation, they had shown no interest in fighting. To make matters worse, when his companions got into a close proximity to the roaches, his communication would mysteriously end only to return a few moments later. Shino had the strange feeling that his insects were hiding something.

The only person who was doing a successful job of fulfilling their mission parameters, ironically, was Kiba. Given the lack of official supervision from a higher ranking Kunoichi (Read: Kurenai), Kiba had taken it upon himself the task of distracting not only the residents of the hotel, but also the security.

"Hey Akamaru! Catch!"

The hard plastic Frisbee sailed over the heads of those in the lobby to be neatly caught in the jaws of an overjoyed puppy.

"Nice catch, now bring it here."

With a playful bark muffled by the toy, the little white dog tore off running for the cafeteria.

"Hey! No animals allowed inside the premises!"

"Uh-oh!"

The angry shout came from a rather stout security guard who was running towards Kiba.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to collect your dog and leave. Both of you."

Kiba grinned cockily and pretended to look around confused.

"Um... what dog?"

If at all possible, the man became even angrier and his face flushed with red.

"What dog? That bloody..."

The man pointed to where Akamaru had been seconds before, only to see the doors leading into the kitchen swinging to and fro. Instantly the guard responded and ran to the doorway, yelling into a headset.

"We have a breach! I repeat, we have a breach! Code Mauve, Code Mauve!"

Kiba tagged along behind the burly guard, laughing and yelling encouragement to his best friend.

"Atta boy! Tell them they'll never take you alive, they hate that!"

- Konoha Canopy : Kitchen / Dining Area -

Team Ten was rather pleased with their mission assignment, though they would have happily changed a few aspects if they were given the choice. Basically, they were to help with the catering service for a party a rather prestigious Hotel was hosting. The entire dining area had been rented out by one of the richer merchant families, whose head was retiring and passing on the keys to his successor. Unfortunately, the family was firm friends with the Akimichi and Yugatori families, who together made up the majority of the cooking and catering services in Konoha. Thus, the people in charge of running the celebration were the people who lacked experience in such operations. The result? Chaos. Despite that though, each member of Team Ten was doing something they enjoyed... kinda.

Shikimaru was complaining about his duty. True, it was probably as good as he could reasonably ask for, but still. He was given the task of planning out what food to serve in what order and what amount. This made the most of his inherent ability to plan out multiple scenarios at once. Even better, he didn't even need to do anything physically laborious which was fine with him. The price came at having to explain and reexplain what should have been simple orders to the servers, who combined _may_ have been a battle of wits for a stuffed iguana.

Chouji had a problem. He was both doing what he loved and what he hated at the same time. His order was to cook. Simple enough, as his clan was renown for their culinary skill and the latent militaristic applications of such skill. The problem, was that because he was caught 'testing' the food one to many times, he had been taken off the cooking duties and instead been transferred to running Quality Control on all dishes about to leave the kitchen before it was served. The horrible part of that came with the single restriction placed on him. He couldn't eat _any_ of it. More than one appetizer was served with the slight taste of tears that day.

Ino was somewhat conflicted on her job assignment. On one hand she had to wear a ridiculous and somewhat skimpy black and white outfit, and take orders from hungry and occasionally angry customers. On the other hand, the rich old merchants in the dining area kept tipping her, with the amounts varying on how... friendly... she acted. As a plus she got to boss around the rest of the civilian servers. All in all, it wasn't a bad gig. As long as the cash kept rolling in at least.

Asuma meanwhile, was having a great time at the party. Some of the men there were old friends of his father, and it was good to catch up with them. The food was god, the drink was better and the small band playing quietly in the corner was actually pretty decent. The girl on bass was cute as well and kept shooting him shy smiles. His interest in the young woman faded though when his true crush walked in through a side door, much to his surprise. The tall, slender woman stood proudly in her Jonin garb and signature wrappings. When her unique red eyes met his, her lips curled up into a smile and he felt himself reach for a cigarette. He smiled back at her and redirected his straying hand toward his drink. Technically Shinobi weren't supposed to drink while on a mission, but this could count as a special circumstance... probably.

"Hey Asuma, isn't that the Genjutsu specialist you like? She's pretty cute, huh?"

Asuma swatted at the elbow digging into his side and chuckled.

"Oh shut up and eat your ribs, Chouza."

The Akimichi clan head laughed in his bellowing way and reached for the stack of barbeque that had been set in front of him by a serving girl.

"Don't mind if I do. Now go to her boy, she's practically calling to you."

Asuma considered another comeback, but decided against it. His drink was finished with a quick swig and he made his way to the lone Kunoichi.

"Good afternoon, Asuma. I'm surprised to see you here."

"My Team is working in the kitchen. Besides, I'm not one to miss out on a party. What about you?"

"My Genin are on the second floor. There are uninvited guest the proprietor wants evicted. Apparently my Team was most suited for the task."

Their conversation was cut off when a familiar white puppy ran between them, tail wagging furiously.

"Stop! No pets allowed in the cafeteria!"

"He's not a pet, you Gorilla! He's my companion. There's a difference!"

Akamaru was followed closely by his owner and a gorilla in a tuxedo, both shouting at the top of their lungs. Kurenai barely had time to dodge out of the way before she was bowled over by her student, but the security guard still happened to catch her with an elbow and knock her over. Fortunately Asuma was able to catch her before she had the floor, and for a moment their faces were extremely close. The illusion mistress could feel the warmth in her cheeks as their eyes met and her heart caught in her throat as he smiled slightly, his eyes glinting with restrained laughter. The moment ended too quickly when he set her back on her feet, and she stepped backward in embarrassment.

"Um... sorry about that. Thank you for catching me."

"Heh, no problem. But wasn't that _your_ student?"

Kurenai's eyes darkened in anger as she looked in the direction the trio had ran.

"Yes, it was. KIBA! Get back here!"

Without hesitation, the female Jonin ran after her students. Asuma laughed again and returned to his table. His portly friend had finished off his plate of barbeque, and Asuma took the opportunity to order a new drink from the waitress when she came to pick up the plate. Being a Jonin, he didn't miss the flirtatious wink coming from the direction of the band. After a quick judgment call, he threw back his drink and beckoned towards the musician with a single finger. The girl bit her lip in consideration, then whispered something to the leader of the band. Apparently she had asked for a break, because he nodded and everyone leaned back from their instruments. Asuma sat back in his chair and watched the pretty young thing's hips sway back and forth.

'Oh yeah, now _this_ is what I call a party.'

- Konoha Daycare -

"Oh hell no."

Team Seven nodded in agreement as they listened to the shouts and screams coming from inside the building before them. The dogs had been walked and returned to their owners, and they had been eager to continue on to their second job assignment for the day. After all, who doesn't love kids? Their initial feelings had long fled, leaving behind a sense of foreboding at the arduous task ahead.

"Well...bye!"

Kakashi shot them a grin before disappearing in a familiar swirl of leaves, leaving behind an irate Sasuke and Sakura.

"Well...bye!"

The blond youth's brilliant escape was halted when his female teammate caught him by the collar on his way past.

"Oh no you don't! You aren't going anywhere until this job is done."

"Are you serious! Listen to them, those kids are crazy!"

"That doesn't matter, Naruto. We were paid to do a job, and we are going to do the damn job."

"Aw come on! It's not like we've been given a pay-check yet. It would be easy! We just tell them we got lost or something. It's not too late!"

Sasuke sighed in irritation, and knocked on his door in an attempt to drown out his teammates. When the first knock went unheard, he knocked again and was answered by a woman yelling loudly. The door opened wide to reveal a young, but exhausted woman.

"Oh, hello. How may I help you? Don't tell me you have a child you want to drop off!"

Put off by the look of panic that the woman adopted, Sakura was quick to console her.

"Oh no, ma'am. We're the Genin team you hired."

The look on the woman's face disappeared, and she smiled bright, if a little tiredly.

"Thank heavens. I've been so busy watching over the children, I haven't had the opportunity to go to the market and buy some things. Now there are quite a number of parents who dropped off their kids so they could attend some party or something over at one of the fancy hotels. Seems like almost two clans worth of kids in there! Of course, I don't think you will have any problem with them."

The entire time the woman was speaking, she was hurrying around inside the entrance room, gathering things together. In less than a minute she had gotten everything together, swung her purse onto her shoulder, and taken off at almost a dead run.

"Thanks again! I'll be back later."

Naruto and Sasuke watched as she faded into the distance and shared an identical look.

"I don't think she's coming back."

For the first time in a long time, Sasuke could think of no reason to disagree with him.

- ? -

"Okay, do you guys know what to do?"

The small group of soldiers looked at their fearless leader in serious admiration. The second in command stood at attention and saluted.

"Yes, Sir. Me and one other are to sneak around behind their lines. You and the others are going to provide a distraction to allow us to enter unnoticed. Once there, we are to steal the target and attempt to escape their base in the same way we entered."

"And if you are spotted?"

"We are to proceed directly to the target. If at all possible, we are to alert the main force that we have been compromised, but the target remains top priority. Afterward we are to fight our way out by any means possible."

"Excellent." The entire group dropped to the ground as their position was the target of another barrage, courtesy of the enemy. "Any questions before we begin?"

"Sir... if we charge directly into their lines... won't there be casualties?"

The general dropped to one knee and looked his troops in the eye, one by one.

"Yes. Yes it does." As their eyes dropped, he could see their resolve starting to falter. "But that is no reason to fear. Remember, you aren't alone. To your left and right are you brothers. Are your sisters. They will stand by you in the face of anything you come across. Together we will stand strong, and as one we will be victorious. Trust in each other, and I can guarantee that today will be one that is remembered."

One by one, each of the young men and women before him sat straighter, to take heart in their commander's strong words.

"Together, we will take the fight to the enemy, and we will make them remember us for years to come! Now who's with me!"

As one, the gathered group stood and cheered loudly, their faith in their leader fully restored and bolstered. They would do what needed to be done, regardless of the cost. Such was their faith in him. Their general saw this, and hoped that their faith was not ill-placed.

"Sergeant, select your second and inform me when you are ready to move out. The rest of you, divide into your teams and prepare for the assault. I want everyone ready for war, and I want it five minutes ago."

"Yes, Sir!"

The sergeant looked around at his fellow soldiers. Some women, mostly men. Some older than him and many a little younger. As he thought about everything he knew about each of them, he tried to come to a decision on who's abilities would best supplement his own, and help him complete their mission. The lives of many depended on them. They had to succeed. They _had _to! Under his inspection, he ruled out many of the soldiers under his command, until he finally laid eyes on a girl with bright orange hair, tied up into an eccentric design.

"You, you're with me. The rest of you, go help the boss. We can't let him down!"

The girl grinned and shot to her feet, flexing.

"Alright, finally some action!"

"Do you think you can handle this? It's going to be tou-"

"Are you kidding me? C'mon, let's go already!"

The sarge nodded. For better of for worse, he had made his decision. It was time to go. Their general noticed that they were ready to depart, and he made sure to catch them.

"Listen up. I don't think there is anyone else in this room I would trust more to do this. I'm not going to lie, it's not going to be easy, but I have faith in you. Both of you. Now we are going to do what we can to distract the main force for as long as we can. The enemy are dug in and heavily fortified. It's... it's going to be a massacre. Do what you need to do, and get out as soon as you can. I don't like having to do this. Everyone out here are counting on you, do you understand me?"

The two nodded solemnly and resolved to do everything they could to save their brothers and sisters. Their sacrifice would not be in vain.

"The have heavy guards in the North and East passageways, but the West is lightly guarded. That would be your best bet. Get in and get out, no heroics. I don't want to have to give your medals to your families."

"Yes, Sir. You can count on us."

"Yeah, I know. Now go, before they start to suspect something. The assault will begin soon, and I want you ready to infiltrate their perimeter as soon as it does."

His two soldiers took off in the direction he had indicated, and he watched their backs for a moment, wishing them luck. He had no time to waste though, and he turned back to the remainder of his men. Time to plan the charge. They would do their duty, the rest was up to them.

"Alright guys, let's go raise some hell!"

"HOORAH!"

- ? -

The duo's trip was made in silence. There didn't have the energy to waste on idle chatter. They had a job to do, and it was going to require everything they had and maybe a little more. The battle field was a small urban setting. A single building held the conflict that raged between the tyrannous inhabitants and the guerrilla resistant. Outgunned, outmaneuvered, and outnumbered, the resistance was at a severe disadvantage. The only hope the fighters had of victory was to have control of both relics. Only then would they be able to claim dominance once and for all. The relic they sought was heavily defended behind their lines, behind solid defenses of their strongest warriors. Surely, this entire operation was a suicide mission.

Their steady progress came to an end when they saw the first of the enemy patrols. Coming out of a utility room was a pair of guards. Fortunately they were distracted with talking to each other, and the two rebels had time to dart into doorway along the hallway.

"What do we do, Sarge? They're blocking the only way past."

"I guess we don't have much of a choice. We can't sneak past them, and I highly doubt that they are just going to leave their post for no reason. We are going to need some kind of a distraction so we can take them out without too much of a fight."

The girl's eyes twinkled for a second before she smiled.

"I've got an idea. OW! My leg!"

The boy stared at her with wide eyes, fearfully.

"What are you doing!" His voice was a harsh whisper as he tried to be quiet. "You're going to get us caught!"

"Relax, I know what I'm doing. Now give me your scarf."

He clutched the fabric tightly and glared at her with suspicion.

"Why do you want my scarf?"

"We need it to tie these guys up. Hurry, because here they come."

The Sergeant refused stubbornly until he could hear the voices of the two guards right around the corner.

"Fine, but I want it back!"

"Relax, you big baby! Now get ready to knock your guy out."

Not ten seconds after she said that, the two men turned around the corner.

"Hey, who's their!"

"Come out with your hands- gurk!"

The first man dropped from a quick chop to the neck while the boy had swung his guy around until he collided with the wall. Hard. When they were both unconscious, the girl made quick work of subduing them with the extra long scarf, tying them back to back with their hands entwined in the middle.

"You know, I'm not sure which worries me worse. The fact that you knocked him out that fast, or that you tied them up that fast."

The girl flipped her hair flirtatiously and winked at her male counterpart.

"Let's focus on the job at hand lover-boy. Besides, that's why you brought me along. Right?"

"Yeah, sure. How far do we still have to go?"

"Well, according to the map the boss showed us there are still two smaller rooms before we reach the main room with the relic inside it."

"Alright, lets go then."

They took off again in a flash, leaving two unconscious figures on the ground, moaning softly.

- Front Lines -

"Status Report!"

"We're getting pounded, Sir! How much ammo could they possibly have?"

The General and one of his subordinates ducked down as yet another barrage pounded against their hastily erected defenses.

"We've got to get that artillery down! Take two men and circle left, I'll go right and see what I can do."

"Yes, Sir! You and you, you're with me. Let's go!"

The three young men waited for the next round to hit before charging out from behind their defenses and towards the enemy's fortress, hoping to knock out their supply lines. The General took their example and did the same on the opposite side, leaving the remnants of their main force to hunker down in defense and counter-attack as well as they could. Sadly they lacked anything with any decent range, and were limited to what they could throw in retaliation.

The General locked his eyes on the one enemy soldier firing towards his allies, and charged toward him with all his might. Before he had even managed to clear a third of the distance between them, the soldier noticed his approach and turned to focus his fire on his position. With an astounding show of agility he dodged and weaved between every projectile fired in his direction, making it look effortless.

Finally, his suicidal charge payed off and he leaped over the barricade and used a flurry of the Force to make the gunner in question collapse on the ground, writhing in... laughter?

"Ha ha hah... No -hehehe- No fair! No powers!"

Ignoring the boy on the ground laughing, he looked to the gunner's counterpart in anticipation. Was it possible? Did the other team... yes! They did it! The three young men that had charged their left flank stood victoriously on the position that had only just been pounding against his men. Now their progress was unimpeded. Victory was theirs!

"We've got them on the ropes now men! CHARGE!"

A mighty battle roar answered his declaration, and the men and women that remained able and willing to fight charged the final defenses of their enemy, en masse.

- ? -

The small strike team had successfully penetrated the rank and file soldiers with some measure of stealth, and were currently standing just outside of the room that held the relic they sought. Unfortunately the relic was not unguarded, and they duo easily counted fifteen heads of those standing between them and their target.

"Well damn! How are we supposed to steal the relic with all those guys in the way?"

The girl put on a show of thinking it over before shrugging.

"We could just charge in, fight them, take the relic, and get out?"

Her suggestion was met with a dead-panned look, making her pout.

"Well fine, if you don't think you can handle it, I guess we will need a distraction."

"What could possibly distract them all at the same time?"

The main entrance to the room burst open as a tired looking messenger stuck his head through the doorway.

"Guys! They got through! Come on, we need to stop them from getting inside!"

The mad scramble that resulted was a rush of them all trying to grab makeshift weapons and meet their foes in open battle. Finally, guard duty was over! Time for some action. Within thirty seconds the last of the guardsmen left the room and the two shared a look of shock.

"Well...that'll do it, I guess."

"Yeah, I know right? Whatever. Let's just grab the damn thing and get out of here."

With a wide grin on each of their faces, they grabbed the book and ran straight through the front door, whooping in happiness. By the time they got outside, the majority of the enemy had been routed and were together in a large group, at the head of which stood their proud General.

"Sir! We did it! We got the relic."

"I see that, good job Konohamaru, Moegi."

"Thanks, Boss!"

Naruto smiled happily at the two beaming children. The entire exercise had started off as a game of hide and seek, and had somehow escalated into a war between two groups of the children at the Daycare center. He still wasn't sure how it had happened!

"So, what have we learned here?" He turned to include all of the children in the question, not just two of his favorites. "Anyone?"

There were a couple of nervous coughs before one hand rose.

"Yes? Udon."

"Numbers don't matter in war?"

"Okay, and why is that?"

"Um, because strategy is more important?"

Naruto grinned at the answer. Udon was the third of his favorite trio, and usually hung out with Konohamaru and Moegi. While Konohamaru was obviously the leader, and Moegi the femme fatale of the group, Udon was the brains behind most of their schemes. He wasn't surprised in the least that he was the one to learn the main lesson behind the exercise.

"That's right! While numbers _are_ important, they aren't everything in a fight. In a lot of cases quality will beat quantity in a realistic fight. You guys got that?"

The gathered group of children nodded at their esteemed General, and even those on the 'enemy' side nodded begrudgingly. When Naruto had told them to separate into two groups with three on one side to every one on the other, those in the bigger group had assumed that they would have it in the bag. Until Naruto had told them he was going to be playing on the other side of course.

"You are a great teacher, Boss! You should totally teach at the Academy! It would be way more fun than listening to those boring teachers go on and on and on and- ow!"

The boy's rambling was cut off with a swift punch to the shoulder from Moegi.

"Konohamaru! You should be more respectful to the teachers at the academy! Where do you think the boss learned everything _he _knows?"

Naruto didn't exactly feel the need to point out that he didn't learn anything of use form the academy. No point in ruining their education after all.

"Alright guys, the next thing I think we should do is to-"

"Naruto! What is going on in here? This place is a mess! We only left for a few minutes to get snacks and we come back to see the entire building trashed! What did you do? Wage WAR!"

Naruto turned to see the enraged face of Sakura, and he rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"Well you see, what happened was-"

His excellent defense that he had made up on the spot was cut off by Konohamaru, who stood between his idol and the banshee yelling at him proudly.

"Hey! You can't yell at the boss, you old hag! He was teaching us how to be Ninjas, and it was awesome."

The blond broke out in a cold sweat at the boy's declaration, and was quick to intervene before Sakura could inflict massive bodily harm on the poor lad.

"Sakura wait, he didn't mean it like that. No! You can't just attack hi- Dammit!"

Connecting to the Force, Naruto reached out with the ability known as 'Slow' and numbed out a few important nerves in his teammates body. Specifically those associated with the progression of time.

"! Iiiiii'mmmmmmmm goonnnnnaaaaaa kiiiilllllll himmmmmmm!"

All sounds in the room stopped as they heard Sakura speak in super-slo-mo, before every person in the room rolled over in laughter. Even Sasuke smirked a little before hiding it behind his mask of emotionless-ness. Naruto, meanwhile, had started laughing as well.

"Oh man, I didn't know it affected the speech centers as well! That's freaking awesome!"

The laughter in the room from all the children only rose in enthusiasm as Sakura tried to charge at Naruto, her face distorting in rage. Sadly, the terror effect was effectively canceled out by the number of ridiculous faces the action caused. Before he knew it, Naruto was surrounded by children begging for him to use the same thing on them so they could 'talk real slow' as well.

"OH MY GOD! What happened in here! WHO'S GOING TO CLEAN THIS MESS UP!"

Instantly, all laughter stopped and everyone in the room turned in fear to look at their previous caretaker, who had chosen to return at that exact moment. The look of rage on her face far surpassed that of Sakura's, which had slowly shifted into that of fear, providing another silly face which only garnered a nervous chuckle or two.

"Um, you see, what happened was this. These guys..."

Naruto turned to look at the mass of children standing behind him, only to find every hand pointing at him with a single finger.

"...You guys suck."

- Konoha Canopy : Main Lobby -

Kurenai stood over her student and his puppy, glaring at the two of them, though Akamaru's pitiful whining wasn't making it easy to stay mad.

"Would you mind explaining to me why you thought it was a good idea to instigate a massive chase between yourselves and the _entire_ security staff of this hotel?"

Kiba shrugged and scuffed his sandal along the carpet, unsure of what to say. Sure, the chase was Akamaru's idea, but he wasn't about to sell out his best friend. Even if it _was_to his extremely attractive but scary Sensei.

"I don't know, you said to distract them and draw their attention away from Hinata and Shino. So I did."

Kurenai rubbed the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Yes, I did. But you know I meant the civilians, not the staff. They all knew why we were here. Why would we need to keep them away from us?"

"How was I supposed to know he worked there?"

"Maybe because he was wearing suit with the hotel's logo and a NAMETAG ON IT!"

"What if he had been a civilian who had knocked out one of the security guards and stolen his suit and I.D?"

The woman gave him a stunned look.

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, Shino said to be ready for anything, and-"

Kurenai rubbed her palm against her face again. Of course. Shino had told him that. They had been... butting heads?... since Day One. Kiba would try to assert himself as team leader, and Shino would give him just enough misinformation for the dog-boy to make a complete ass of himself. Whenever he did, Kurenai would get onto him about it, and without fail Shino would be... close...

"Shino, get out here. Right now." Silence. "I know you're there."

The boy in question stepped out from around the corner, tall coat and sunglasses hiding his face as per usual.

"Okay, first of all why would you tell Kiba that a civilian might knock out one of the guards, steal his uniform, and masquerade as one of the staff. Second, why are you here and not at your post with Hinata? You have a job to do."

"You see Sensei, I told Kiba such because it is a possibility. I thought that we should be prepared for any eventuality, as we were taught in the Academy. I was simply utilizing our training to the fullest extent. I am here, because... we might have a problem."

"Well of course you were taught that, but that doesn't mean you should use everything you were taught on a D-Rank for crying out... wait a second. Where are your bugs?"

Being the lead Genjutsu specialist in the village, Kurenai had trained herself to be able to pick up even the slightest of details around her so she could tell when she was under an illusion as early as possible. Because of this, she had noticed something off about Shino.

Shino _always _had bugs on him. When he was eating, training, and she was willing to bet even when he was sleeping. Not just under his skin, but crawling in view as well. He made sure to keep it discreet when he was out in public, but that didn't mean they weren't still there. They were just harder to see. Right now though, there were none. And it was a little disturbing. If they weren't on him, where were they? The boy only slid his glasses up his nose and back into their usual place, showing no emotion whatsoever, despite his predicament. His father would be proud... kind of.

"I told you we had a problem."

"Oh God."

"Kurenai-Sensei!"

The adult woman's only female student came charging towards her, full speed from one of the side hallways. Despite her running and the exertion she was under, she was still paler than usual. Surprising really, she didn't think that was possible.

"What's wrong!"

"T-t-the b-bugs!"

With that, the girl collapsed into a heap on the floor, turning a rather disconcerting shade of green.

"I would suggest we run now."

"What are you talking about Shino?"

"You see. My Kikai..." Despite not wanting to admit such an embarrassing fault on his part, Shino felt it was important that his Sensei know the extent of the situation they were in. "They didn't want to fight the 'intruders'."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I think... they became friends with the hotel's cockroaches."

"And why is that so much of a problem?"

"Because the roaches didn't want to leave the hotel. In fact, they want to conquer it and rule it as their home and main hive. They attempted to talk my Kikai into helping them."

Kurenai's apprehension grew as a strange scratching sound could be heard coming from the hallway Hinata had just come from.

"From what I have been able to gather, they were rather convincing."

As she watched, the walls of the hallway began to waver and darken. With a handsign and a rush of Chakra Kurenai tried to disrupt and dispel the Genjutsu, to no avail.

"What is that? Shino?"

She turned to see Hinata, Shino, and Akamaru fleeing in the opposite direction, leaving only herself and Kiba, who had a bewildered look of confusion.

"Uh, Sensei?... I think we should leave now."

"Yeah, that seems like a-uh, a good idea."

The two turned away from the insectoid monstrosity and fled towards the dining area in an attempt to evacuate the area before things got even more out of hand.

- Hokage Tower : Private Office -

Sarutobi sighed as he looked over the two teams and various personnel standing in front of him. Two completely separate missions, both ended pretty close to disaster. One resulted in an outraged Daycare caretaker and the other in an... outraged Hotel manager.

"Okay, can you explain once more what happened with Team Seven?"

"They trashed my business is what happened!"

Sarutobi turned to Kakashi and his three students, two of whom were apologetic and Naruto, of course, who was proud of his work.

"Is this true?"

Kakashi put away his book to give a perfect explanation as to the actions of his team, regardless of the fact that he wasn't present, but Naruto cut him off.

"Our mission was to aid in the Daycare center by keeping the children occupied and happy until their parents or guardians came to pick them up, right?"

"Well, essentially yes, but..."

"And did anyone ask said children if they were happy or not?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Exactly. We completed the mission assignment, within the parameters set. And pretty well too, if you ask me."

"Still, you trashed my building! The entire thing is a war zone."

Naruto just shrugged a little.

"Hey, you hire Ninjas you gotta be prepared for a little collateral damage."

Sarutobi laughed at that declaration, and nodded a little.

"He has a point there. You never said anything about collateral damage when you paid for the mission. Team Seven completed the mission, I don't know what more you want me to do. I will however assign a clean up detail for another Team for you if you want. It will count as a D-Rank, but it will be on the house."

The woman was clearly not satisfied, but nodded and left the room huffily. The Hokage watched her leave, then turned back to Team Seven for the last time.

"Well, I believe your team still has time to complete one last mission, don't they, Kakashi?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama. We'll get right on it."

"Very well, dismissed."

The four left the room, with Naruto muttering a quiet 'Who's we?'.

When the door clicked shut behind them, Sarutobi turned to the remaining team. After a quick rummage, he drew his pipe from a drawer on his desk and lit it up with a low level Katon.

"Okay, why don't you run me through the story again. The cockroaches, started attacking people?"

"Pretty much, yes Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi inhaled sharply and sighed outward. This was going to be good.

- Konoha Resident Home -

"Make sure not to pull out the flowering ones."

"Yes, Sensei."

"And you have to get them by the roots, or they will just grow back."

"Yes, Sensei."

"If you use your-..."

"You know, if you wanted you could come help us out with this, since you know so much about what we're doing."

"Meh, you guys look like you have it taken care of."

"Uh-huh, I thought so."

"Sakura, stop pestering our fearless leader, will ya? You're making it hard to concentrate."

The pink haired girl spun to face him, focusing her frustration on him.

"Oh? And what are you concentrating on? The wit of inanimate objects?"

Naruto mumbled something quietly, never opening his eyes.

"What was that?"

"I said their life force, actually."

"Both of you, shut up."

Sakura had to actively bite her tongue before she snapped at Sasuke. It wouldn't do to anger him after all.

"Right, sorry Sasuke-kun."

The three Genin were all in the front yard of an elderly man clearing it of weeds. It would have been simple enough for Sasuke to use his fireball technique, but not only were they instructed to kill _only_the weeds and not... everything else, but Kakashi had also forbidden them from using any techniques. Jutsu or otherwise. Still, Naruto figured he must have only meant techniques that would actually aid them in completing the mission by removing the weeds from the garden.

While what he was doing couldn't technically be considered a technique, he was still careful to make sure that Kakashi didn't catch him doing it. By opening his connection to the Force, he was able to sense the life of each of the plants. With enough concentration, he could also identify the various plants and weeds from each other without confusing them. Definitely helps with pulling the right plants when they looked so similar.

Sure the sun was out and there was barely any breeze, but the work was simple enough and pretty relaxing in its own way. Before they knew it the work was done, and Kakashi gathered them up to take them to the Hokage's office to turn in the reports and pick up their payment.

The Hokage had a look of exhaustion about him as he looked over their mission reports to make sure everything was in order before signing off on them.

"Alright, everything looks in order, so if you take these down to the secretary, she will get you your pay."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi bowed and was about to leave when Naruto piped up yet again.

"Hey Old Man, any idea on what missions we will be getting tomorrow?"

Sarutobi smiled fondly at the nickname and made a show of shuffling through his papers.

"Well, I have some more manual labor missions, and it would seem that Tora has escaped once again."

"Oh no, there is no way we are going to go after that damn cat again. I'm not making any promises that I'm not going to kill it the next time I see it."

While Sakura looked at him disapprovingly, both Sasuke and surprisingly Kakashi nodded with him.

"In that case, all I have left is a escort mission, but I doubt you would be too interested in a boring C-Rank mission. It's a long term one as well, so you would be gone for quite a while. A couple of weeks at least."

Both Naruto and Sakura's jaws dropped at that, and Sasuke's eyes lit up.

"What do you think Kakashi, is your team ready to handle something like this?"

"Hmm..."

His students glared at him while he thought it over, and his smile threatened to tear his mask.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I think they are ready."

"Yes!"

"Alright, finally!"

"Hn."

"In that case, I will have the client sent in now so you can speak with him yourselves." He pressed a button on his desk and the intercom sparked to life. "Matsuri, send Tazuna in will you?"

"Now Hokage-sama? He is currently rather... inebriated."

"Yes, I'm sure it will be of no issue."

"Of course, right away."

Barely a minute later the doorway opened to reveal a tall, stout man who emitted the rather distinct aroma of alcohol. Sakura gagged as he walked past her, and Naruto coughed into his hand.

"Dang man, what'd you do? Fall into a bathtub full of sake?"

"Hey! Shut up short-round! I'm here about some Ninja team, so get off my back."

"Tazuna-san, I would like to introduce your escorts. Team Seven, this is Tazuna. He is a bridge builder from Nami no Kuni"

"Surprise."

The middle aged man paled at the statement, and examined his guards for the first time. The pink haired girl looked rather defenseless, the raven haired boy gave off an air of untested professionalism, and he just had a weird feeling about the blond one. At least the tall guy with the mask looked dependable.

"You guys are my escort?"

"Yup!" Naruto grinned.

"...I'm going to die."

Kakashi eased over to the man and patted his shoulder sympathetically, never taking his eyes off of his novel.

"Don't worry, that's what we're here for. To keep you safe while you do... whatever it is that you do."

For some reason that didn't bring the client much comfort, though Kakashi seemed blissfully unaware of that fact.

"Okay Team, this guy looks like he hasn't see the crack of noon in a couple of decades."

"Hey!"

"So we are going to leave tomorrow afternoon. I want you lot packed up and ready to travel no later than two, okay?"

"Hai!"

"Hn."

"Sure thing, that should give me enough time to wrap stuff up."

"Remember, we are going to be gone for a while, so pack heavy. You are receiving payment for three D-Ranks today, plus whatever you have saved since we started. I suggest you use that money wisely. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

With a swirl of leaves the masked man was gone, leaving two elders and three young Ninja.

"You heard the scarecrow. I'll see you guys tomorrow afternoon. Later."

A wink was all they caught from their smiling blond companion before he took a running leap out of the open window. This time no one batted an eyebrow, except for Tazuna.

"You know, I really wish Naruto would use the door like a civilized person."

"What the hell! The kid just jumped out the window!"

"Yes, he does seem to enjoy doing that."

"But-but, we came up like, ten stories to get up here!"

The blank look he received from everyone left in the room told him they were unimpressed, and he just shook his head and left, muttering about freakin' Ninjas. The two remaining team members shared a look before leaving to go to their separate estates, though Sakura did so rather reluctantly.

* * *

A/N : I thank you all for your patience. This chapter took _much _longer for me to write than I had originally planned (Stupid filler crap). Anyway, I had warned you all that the consistent posts would only last for so long, and as you no doubt were able to figure out that time period has ran out. From here on the chapters will be irregularly placed, though the more interesting the chapter the faster it will come out. I'm not going to bitch and complain about the lack of reviews because I'm not one of those people. Actually, about 45 reviews in only 6 chapters. I'm impressed, especially since all but one were positive.

As for the fic itself, from now on things will start to take a separate course. You can already see the changes that have occurred and from now on they will only become more and more drastic. I'm a huge fan of the Butterfly Effect after all. Stick around, next chapter the wave arc begins.

Stay Frosty  
- Nikolai


	8. Encounter

**Ch.** **8 : Encounter**

Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

_A/N : Another day, another chapter. Read and enjoy. More at the bottom._

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* * *

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"_Ten little Ninjas, play so fine._

_Along came a Tanuki, and then there were nine."_

Naruto made his way down the main street of Konoha, wandering aimlessly between the small market kiosks. The warm air blew in soft breezes, pushing the leaves across the street.

"_Nine little Ninjas, fighting their fate._

_They crossed a big black cat, and then there were eight."_

Today had been far from his worst birthday, but it was still pretty bad. Both Iruka and Old Man-Hokage were too busy to see him.

"_Eight little Ninjas, laughing with their brethren._

_A turtle washed ashore, and then there were seven."_

He was trying his hardest not to be mad, but they had promised to spend time with him today. He knew that they would probably try to make it up to him when they could, but it just wasn't the same thing.

"_Seven little Ninjas, the romantics took their picks._

_Soon a monkey comes to town, and leaves only six."_

Despite his loneliness, Naruto was sure that he would find someone to celebrate his birthday with. You don't turn eight every day after all. Maybe some of the kids at the park would play with him? There were always people there this time of day, even on holidays. He smiled and broke out into a run in his excitement.

"_Six little Ninjas, glad to be a live._

_A hungry dog started biting, and ate all but five."_

His hopes were paid off with the sound of laughing. Just like always, kids were playing in the park and he couldn't wait to join them. They called to him, overjoyed at having a new playmate in the way only children can. Their parents remained unaware, chatting with each other absently while their children had fun outside.

"_Four little Ninjas, ready to go to war._

_A weasel started playing tricks, until there was but four."_

So he wanted to play rough, huh? He was game. One of the bigger boys in the group had declared himself 'King of the Hill', daring anyone to knock him off his perch. Naruto ran up the soft side of the dirt hill, tackling the boy. Not so tough now, was he?

"_Four little Ninjas, looking as far as they could see._

_A bully beetle saw them and beat them down to three."_

It wasn't fair! The other boy had punched him first, so Naruto hit him back. The boy's mom only saw him hit her son though. She wouldn't even let him say what happened. The boy was lying, and they wouldn't even listen to him!

"_Three little Ninjas, sailing on the ocean blue._

_A sea monster smashed some ships; the survivors numbered two."_

Great, now everyone hated him. All the other kids had sided with their friend. They each told their parents what they thought had happened until the grown-ups believed _he_ had started the fight. They made him leave the playground alone, and Naruto found himself wishing that he had parents to stick up for him.

"_Two little Ninjas, trying to have some fun._

_A massive fox destroyed their lives, now there is but one."_

Word spread fast around the village, and somehow before he had returned to his quiet apartment everyone was staring at him. It might be a while before he could play again, all the kids looked afraid of him and their parties expected him to start trouble. Even though it hurt, he held his head high. He was a big boy now, and big boys didn't cry in front of people. Even if they _were_ staring at him and whispering behind his back. The weight grew to be too much for him before he could see his apartment building from the street, so he broke into a run. His chest ached and his throat grew dry and scratchy, making it really hard to breathe. His pride remained intact though, as he got through his mean landlady's lecture about being quiet at night because of his neighbors. When he finally closed his door and slid the heavy deadbolt into place, he smiled despite the fat tears that burned his cheeks. Oh yeah, he was a big boy now, and no one was going to take that from him.

"_One little Ninja, searching for a home._

_Look all you want child, you'll always be alone."_

He wasn't done crying when he heard a soft knock on his door. He held his breath to stop the tears long enough to sound brace. His voice didn't crack at all when he asked who was there, and happy warmth flooded him when the Hokage's familiar tone answered. That warmth dispersed though, when the old man told Naruto how disappointed in him he was. The Old Man had been looking forward to surprising the boy that afternoon, but then he found out that Naruto had started a fight in the playground.

Again, Naruto was proud of himself when he didn't cry through the short ordeal. He told his surrogate grandfather that he was sorry. Why would he believe him, even if he told him the truth? It was the word of multiple parents against his own; he didn't stand a chance. The Hokage then told him that he was going to be too busy to see him for the next week or two, would he be alright alone? Naruto told the man what he wanted to hear, and listened as the footsteps faded into silence. When he knew he was alone again, he grabbed a pillow from his bed and collapsed with his back to the door A big, heavy tear rolled down his cheek and was absorbed into the fabric squeezed tightly against his chest. Why should he care that the Hokage hadn't said 'Happy Birthday'? He was a big boy now. Big boys didn't care what other people said. They jest took care of themselves while they cried alone in their cold, quiet house... right?

* * *

- Compound : Private Chamber -

Naruto bolted awake and clenched his jaws to suppress the scream clawing at his throat. The dream he had just borne witness to was far more than just that, a dream. No, it was a memory. A memory of a time when he had been helpless, hopeless. Naruto started down at his hands as though trying to read a foreign language printed on them. The thick comforter slid down from its place, exposing his flushed, sweat-laden skin to the cool air of the unheated compound. He drew his hands into fists and took comfort in the strength his body held. He was no longer defenseless, and he didn't have to rely on the mercy or compassion of his 'guards' to keep him alive.

He threw his bed sheets to one side of the bed and swung his legs off of the side. There was no way he was going back to sleep after that dream, he had had it enough times to know that much by now. Lying in bed would just be a losing battle and a waste of time. Besides, he had things he needed to do, and he could go for a breath of fresh air anyway.

His only adornments leaving his personal chambers were a pair of jeans and his boots. He didn't even bother bringing his jacket, opting instead to enjoy all the cold weather had to offer. As always, two HK-50 Droids stood guard outside his doorway, and acknowledged him as he left his room.

"_Greetings, Master. You are up late. Shouldn't you be asleep?"_

Naruto felt his temper flare and his face must have betrayed his displeasure, as both Droids sank to one knee before him, bowing their heads. Even the ever-silent one did it.

"_Forgive me, Master. I spoke out of turn."_

The show of submission made him feel a little guilty, and he rubbed his eyes in an attempt to erase the grogginess he still felt from having just awoken.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just having some trouble sleeping. That's all."

"_Of course. Is there anything we can do?"_

He automatically made to dismiss them, but thought better of it.

"Yes, actually. I need you to locate HK-47. Do you know where he is?"

The Droid's photoreceptors flashed, signifying its communication with the other synthetics in the compound. After a surprising lag time, the Droid got results.

"_The Archaic-One seems to be in the Shooting Range, right next to the Armory. Shall I alert him that you wish to speak with him?"_

"Yeah, let him know that I am on my way there right now."

The boy didn't wait for the conformation to turn his back on the two. He might not have been given permission to use any of the weapons in the training area, but that didn't mean he didn't know where it was. Sure it had taken him almost two months of constantly getting lost in the damn place, but he finally got the hang of where everything was a couple of days ago. He still got lost now and then when going somewhere new, but he had it mostly down.

The distinctive sound of blaster fire signified that he did indeed have the right area, and he was completely unsurprised to see HK-47 wielding a rather bulky but unquestionably efficient blaster rifle, bigger than usual and a different color from the generic blacks and grays he always saw. After firing a couple of rounds down range, the rust red killing machine laid the weapon down and addressed Naruto.

"**Enthusiastic Greeting **: Ah, hello Master. I had wondered when you were going to come visit me, though I didn't expect it to be at such an hour. It has been rather boring on base since my return."

"I'm going to assume that by 'boring' you mean you haven't killed anything lately."

"**Reluctant Admittance **: Nothing human at least. Your 'Forest of Death' has some rather interesting prey. **Sad Complaint **: Still, hunting an insentient being just isn't the same."

Naruto laughed at the typical homicidal nature of his oldest Droid companion. It was good to know that the damage he had sustained wasn't serious enough to change his personality... kinda.

"In that case, I might have just what you are looking for." The way -47's eyes lit up told Naruto that he had his attention with that statement. "Where were you on your last mission?"

"**Confused Answer **: The locals call it Wave Country. **Query **: Why?"

The boy gave a dark grin that made HK's behavioral core practically shiver in delight.

"My team was given our first out-of-town mission assignment. Our destination?...Wave Country. What do you say you tag along for a little road trip? I'm sure we won't need it, but a little back up couldn't hurt. Plus, who knows? You might find the guy who cut you in half."

"**Overjoyed Statement **: …...I like you, Master. **Excited Query **: When do we leave?"

"In about twelve hours, give or take."

HK-47 snapped a crisp salute to the boy, feeling a new respect for his newest Master.

"**Acknowledgment: **I will be ready this time. Am I to reveal myself to your team?"

"No. Remain hidden until we are well out of Konoha. I want as few people to know about you guys as possible until it is time. I will let you know when I need you to appear."

"**Acknowledgment**: As you wish. I will be ready for departure."

"Excellent,"

Naruto turned to leave the killing machine to its own devices, but paused at the doorway.

"Oh, and HK... don't fail again. I won't accept it as well as Master Bane does. You are a killing machine, and I expect you to actually be able to kill. Not die."

Both parties were completely thrown off by the statement, but Naruto wasn't about to take it back and HK wasn't about to complain. There were few things in organics he truly respected, but brutality was one of their few redeeming qualities. Finally, a Master that just might utilize him to his full capabilities. For the first time in thousands of years, the Droid thought of his creator in sad nostalgia.

_'Ah Master Revan, I miss you. Perhaps this boy will be as you were. We will see, I suppose...'_

Naruto meanwhile, had actually scared himself a little with that statement. Since when did he _ever_ think like that? It wasn't that it wasn't true, he just didn't usually see things like that. Come to think of it, ever since his time 'under-the-knife;, he had been feeling rather strange. Slowly at first, but more frequently lately he would find himself being... harsh. Colder to those that served him, crueler to people who irritated him. And even down right mean to people he didn't like. He had a feeling that it had something to do with the Force, but there was no way to be sure without asking his Masters. And there was no way in hell that was happening. The last thing he needed right now was for the two of them to think there was something wrong with him.

With a shake of his head to clear away his confusion, the blond decided that maybe it was time for him to take a closer look at the gadget section of the supply room. After all, now he was alone and could look at the things that had interested him without Kyle being... eccentric.

It was about ten in the morning when Kyle found his apprentice wandering around in the supply room. The blond was staring up at a wall of combat armor, with very noticeable stars in his eyes.

"Hey, what are you doing down here? Shouldn't you be getting ready for your mission?"

Naruto shrugged dismissively without taking his eyes off the suits.

"I'm already packed. Right now I'm just killing time."

"By staring at armor?"

"Meh, I'm trying to get a feel for what I want mine to look like."

Kyle laughed at the boy and shook his head, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Well cut it out. You've been in here for hours now and I don't want you turning into some creepy dude that just stares at things all day. The Droids and Bane does that enough to be weird, and I don't want you to do it as well. I might just have to go crazy. Now let's go grab a bite to eat before you head out, I hear you are going to be gone for a while and I could use some talkative company before I'm stuck with these guys again."

"Oh please, it's _way _too late for that, and you know it. But sure, I'm coming."

Naruto cast one last look of longing at a black armor and cape combo, complete with a full re-breather/helmet deal, before turning away and following his Master, and close friend.

* * *

- Konohagakure Streets : Main Entrance -

Surprisingly, Naruto was the first one to arrive at the front gates of Konoha, even after walking from the compound. After last night he felt the need for a good long walk. The fresh air worked wonders for his frazzled mind and churning emotions. Besides, god knows what would happen to his bike if he left it out for a month this close to Konoha. He wasn't worried about it being exposed to the elements. The thing had survived thousands of years in an extremely inhospitable cavern-ey garage looking thing. A couple of weeks of fresh air and maybe some rain wasn't going to kill it. What bothered him was the thought of someone _finding_ it. Could you imagine what would happen if say...Kiba, found his pride and joy?

Naruto shuddered at the very thought. Besides, the long walk was good for his mind-set. He had thought that the dreams had stopped for good once he had joined the academy, but apparently the problem was still there. He was unsure of how to handle it, but he had no doubt that it needed to stop. He was so engrossed with his thoughts that he almost walked past the meeting point. He leaned against a thick wall post and closed his eyes. He hadn't been able to get more than a few hours of sleep before the dream had awaken him, and he hadn't gone back to sleep afterward. Naturally, he could do with some rest.

Sakura was pretty surprised to see her blond teammate present before her. He had never arrived before her. Hell, he was usually lucky to show up five minutes before Kakashi most days. It was almost as though he could tell when the Jonin would decide to arrive.

"Hey Naruto, what are you doing here this early?"

He didn't look up as she spoke, but she could here the exhaustion in his voice.

"'It's our first mission. Of course I'm going to be here early."

"What are you talking about? We've had tons of missions and you've been late every time."

"Yeah, right. You know just as well as I do that this 'helping-people-out-with-chores' crap doesn't count as missions. Hell, they barely even count as practice. When I say missions, I mean the kind that we actually use our skills for what they were meant for."

Sakura was surprised by the ferocity in his voice. Sure he was right, but the way he spoke was unlike him. He was pissed about something and it was making her nervous. She had seen a little bit of what he was capable of, and even that hadn't told her much about what he could do. The idea of Naruto being angry enough to use those abilities to lash out at someone... It was something she would rather not think on too much.

Not too long after their short conversation the duo were joined by both Sasuke and Kakashi, who was dragging a hung-over Tazuna behind him.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei! You're here on time for once."

The cyclops pointedly ignored her and slapped their client on the back, knocking him forward and forcing him to stand for himself.

"Okay kiddies, are we ready for our first big-boy mission?"

Naruto snorted in amusement at the comment while Sasuke just scowled.

"Yup, and I packed my own lunchbox as well. I forgot to bring my blankie though, so no nap-time breaks."

Both of the blond's teammates glared at him while Kakashi just snorted under his mask. He was quickly growing to like the boy. He was determined, had a good sense of teamwork, and was willing to get dirty in order to get the mission done. Most importantly though? He had a sense of humor that he was more than willing to use. He definitely made things more interesting.

"I'm sure we will be able to come up with something suitable along the way. Now if you ladies are ready, we can go."

Their was little hesitation on any parties part, and after a brief stop at the security checkpoint at the gate, they were released into the big, bad, outside world. For a moment Kakashi could have sworn that Naruto had cast a glance toward the shadow of a tree and nodded slightly, but it was gone so fast he couldn't be sure. Besides, there was nothing near the tree at all that he could sense, so he wasn't too worried about it.

* * *

- Unkown Path : A few miles from Nami -

After a few hours of travel, the sights and sounds of the world outside Konoha ceased to be a source of wonder, causing the group to devise their own ways of entertaining themselves. Kakashi had drawn a familiar orange novel from a pouch at his waist and was reading it casually, to no big surprise of his students. The team's client was sipping at a bottle he had taken from his travel bag and was nursing it lightly, keeping a nervous eye on anything that moved in the trees around them.

Sakura was casting fervent glances at Sasuke and was trying to make light conversation with Tazuna, questioning him about his home village. Sasuke was walking casually slouched with his hands in his pockets, though he was still keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. Naruto meanwhile... he was... They weren't quite sure _what_ Naruto was doing. He was obviously pretty relaxed and nonchalant, toying with one of the knives he kept on him at all times. The thing was though, he was trying to sing. But it wasn't quite singing. It was more of a low chant that none of them could place. It definitely wasn't a tune they had heard before.

"Naruto, what are you singing?"

The blond looked in her direction with a irritated look in his eye, and for a moment Sakura was worried that she had made him mad. Fortunately he blinked hard and rubbed his eyes as though trying to snap himself out of something.

"It's a song my Masters showed me in some old records. Vode An."

Kakashi perked up in interest and stopped reading his book, choosing instead to take part in the conversation.

"Vode An? I've never heard of it."

"Of course you haven't. It's been dead for centuries."

"Right, right. I forgot, they're old as hell."

At that comment Sakura, Sasuke, and Tazuna all looked at him in confusion. Both of the teammates were reminded by that, that they still didn't know too much about the 'Masters' Naruto was always going on about.

"Hey, that's right. Who are your masters?"

Naruto sighed and twirled the blade between his fingers, working with his dextrous fingers to keep them limber.

"What do you want to know about them?"

Sasuke walked closer to the group so he could take part, though he was planning on letting Sakura do most of the talking. She had most of the same questions he did after all.

"Well, who _are_ they?"

"They are Master Kyle Katarn and Lord Bane."

"...and?"

"And what?"

Sakura groaned in frustration and bit back the urge to smack her teammate.

"And where are they from? What do they do? Why haven't we ever seen them before?"

"Why did they decide to train _you_?"

Kakashi shook his head at the unsavory addition, courtesy of Sasuke. Of course the boy would be uppity about Naruto getting training that he wasn't.

Naruto clicked his tongue and slid the blade back into its place in his jacket.

"They are from this area, but not this time. Due to a rather unfortunate incident brought about by decades of conflict, they were the only two survivors of the apocalypse."

He hesitated in his explanation only long enough to enjoy their reactions before continuing.

"Master Bane was the head of one faction of a war, Master Kyle was that of the other. When the end came, they survived by going into cryo-stasis. Hibernation. They slept for thousands of years until the world had recovered, and they awoke to train their successors. They chose me."

Sasuke snorted in contempt.

"And even if all this is true, why would they choose you?"

"Because I am the only one that can do what they can do."

"Bullshit. If a moron like you can do it, I bet any civilian off the street could do it even better."

Naruto's lip curled back into a snarl and Kakashi noticed something in his eye that he didn't like. Deciding to intervene before Naruto showed him just what he was talking about, Kakashi went through the effort of putting his book away and engaging himself in the conversation fully for the first time.

"Don't doubt him, Sasuke. He's telling the truth on both counts. I spoke with his masters myself, as well as the Hokage."

The avenger scowled, unhappy and confused that Naruto wasn't just lying.

"So what is it that makes you so different then? Did they devise a way to channel idiocy into a weapon?"

Kakashi saw that flash again, and sprung into action. With a quick leap, the Jonin positioned himself between Sasuke and Naruto, and not a moment too soon. Naruto had lashed out with a palm, sending a wave of the same invisible energy he had used to shield himself with weeks ago towards Sasuke. Well aware of the power that could be behind it, Kakashi braced his knees to absorb the blow, and channeled some Chakra to his joints to add extra support. The second the wave hit, Kakashi was glad he did because the sheer force of the blow took everything he had and kept on giving. It was only through sheer power of will that he didn't take a step back to re-steady himself.

The onslaught lasted less than a second, but the silence continued on for several more after it. Everyone was watching everyone else to see what their next move would be. Naruto only relaxed when Kakashi did, and Sasuke made sure to hide the astonishment he had felt, as well as outright deny the sliver of fear that had coursed through him at the display of such raw power. Even protected from the wave by Kakashi-sensei, he had still felt it rush over him and honestly? It scared him.

"Now now, Naruto. That's no way to treat your teammates. He was only asking an honest question."

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Oh? And his insult to my ability is just to be brushed off? Had anyone insulted _him_ like that, his ensuing attack would have been perfectly 'justified', right?"

Whatever Kakashi was going to say in defense was brushed off as Naruto turned their back to the group.

"You know what? Whatever, lets just get this stupid mission over with."

The rest of Team Seven watched as their blond teammate walked away. Both Sakura and Sasuke knew that he was acting really out of character lately, and while Kakashi might not have spent that much time around him before their team placement, he had learned enough to know that something was wrong. The man made a not to talk to the boy at some point later on when they were alone. Whatever the problem was, it needed to be sorted out before it caused too many problems in the future.

Naruto knew that something was wrong with him. It had started off badly a couple of days ago, but since then it had only gotten worse. Lately he had been lashing out at the Droids of the compound more frequently and with increasing viciousness. Oddly enough however, not only did the not hold it against him, they seemed to take it positively and their productiveness had increased greatly. Apparently the HK series of Droid responded to cruelty, crazy bastards.

Still, he couldn't argue with the results. They had only been working for a few short weeks and already the majority of the compound was excavated, cleared out, and renovated. Countless forms of technology had been found and handed over to the Droids in the technical laboratories to analyze and improve. Information databases had been recovered with countless hours of information, both historical, theoretical, and practical. All in all, the finds were extremely useful for the plans of his Masters and himself.

The boy smiled to himself as he remembered Kyle's excitement not too long ago. The techie Droids downstairs had devised a way to decrease the power output of the more basic blaster rifle and pistol designs. While he had been confused about it, (What was the point of a _smaller gun ) _Kyle had just grinned at him. After a short explanation, Naruto had been grinning right alongside him. If they lowered the firepower, they could lower the fatality potential, creating weapons that only stunned their enemy. While to them personally it was useless, the economic possibilities behind it were limitless. If they were to mass produce the weapons and sell to only one country, not only could they become a super power in practically no time at all, their economy would boom. And they just happened to have a country in mind.

Lost within his increasingly dangerous thought process, Naruto failed to notice the deep rain puddle in the water until he had stepped in it, sinking almost to his ankle and getting the leg of his combat pants wet.

"Aw dammit."

His frustration only mounted at the annoyance, and he shook his head. Today was just not his day, was it.

"_**Warning : **__Master, there are two hostiles directly behind you."_

Naruto acknowledged the radio call without alerting his team. One of the advantages of having hair as long as his, was that he could easily hide a comm link in his ear without it being seen. Disguising the action as rubbing his ear, Naruto activated his end of the link.

"Are you sure? I don't sense anything."

"_**Confident : **Master, I am insulted you think so lowly of me. **Explanation : **I'm not sure how they are doing it, but somehow they are concealing themselves _within _the puddle you just stepped in. **Hypothesis : **Perhaps with one of these _Ninjutsu _these Shinobi are so fond of?"_

"Affirmative, that sounds about right. Thanks for the heads up, HK. Remain in cover, I'm sure we can handle this easily enough."

While the warning was enough for him to make some quick preparations, it wasn't fast enough for him to save Kakashi. As one, the two figures leaped from the puddle and in perfect synchrony used the chain-like weapon on their gauntlets to latch onto and rip Kakashi to shreds.

"K-Kakashi-sensei!:

Sakura's scream was enough to knock both Sasuke and Naruto out of their confusion, just in time to hear the two enemy nin declare their intent.

"That's one down."

"Three to go. Next target?"

"The old man."

The pair spoke in a strange manner, picking up immediately where the other left off and they left no room for pause. With no hesitation, the pair readied their weapons again and made for the client they were supposed to protect. Sakura was obviously scared, but drew a kunai anyway in a feeble act of defiance.

Sasuke did much the same, though he moved to intercept the pair so they couldn't have a straight shot for Tazuna. Naruto meanwhile, was strengthening his connection to the Force to prepare a specific technique he had been working on recently.

All Sasuke saw when he glanced at Naruto, was the blond just standing their uselessly with his eyes closed mumbling something to himself.

"Naruto! What the hell do you think you're doing!"

When one of the two enemies lashed out at him with a clawed gauntlet, Sasuke batted it aside with a fluid sweep and swung at the side of their head with the blunt side of his kunai. The ninja just leaned away from it, and even though his face was hidden by the gas-mask he wore, Sasuke could just tell he was grinning. It also didn't take him too long to realize why. He had forgotten about the other one!

He turned just in time to see the other ninja launch his spiked chain in the direction of the old man. Given the range he was at, it was impossible for him to miss. Out of the corner of his eye though, Sasuke could have sworn he saw Naruto push his palm out towards the old man, like he had done earlier at him, and shout something that sounded like 'warrior'. He felt a shard of hope when he thought about the wave of energy that had happened the last time Naruto had done that. Maybe the idiot had thought to push the old man out of danger?

His heart sunk in disappointment when neither the old man, nor the enemy, nor even their weapons were thrown away. Instead the chain continued on its path towards Tazuna, who could only stand their with a 'deer- in – a - Katon' look on his face. The disappointment was short lived though. Instead of the shower of gore that had accompanied Kakashi's death, there was nothing. The vicious weapon had continued on its path and hit the old man center mass, right where his heart and lung should have been, but it didn't penetrate. Almost as though it hadn't been thrown hard enough to puncture the skin and cloth defense the man was sporting, the weapon simply hit and fell to the ground as though the chain had been cut and all the momentum instantly dissipated.

The distraction provided by his technique gave Naruto enough time to capture Sasuke's attacker in a Force Grip, and at the same time lash out with a Push which slammed the other into a tree, the sickening crunch that followed laying him out on the forest floor like a rag doll.

"Brother! You bastard!"

The young assassin struggled pointlessly in his invisible bounds, unable to sense what was holding him up and therefore unable to break free. Naruto debated what to do with him for a moment, as he felt his connection begin to weaken from the continued strain of holding the nin up, but his dilemma was solved when he was knocked unconscious by a perfectly healthy Kakashi.

"Good job, Team. Sasuke nice interception there. Naruto, good timing on that defensive technique and immobilizing the enemy. Sakura... good job for warning us early?"

Sakura decided not to think too hard on her actions, and instead make sure Tazuna was okay. While he was physically unharmed by the attack, he still looked a little worse for the wear and was taking much longer drags on his alcohol.

Sasuke waited until Kakashi had dragged Tazuna aside to have a 'friendly little chat', before he approached Naruto.

"What did Kakashi-sensei mean by that? What defensive technique?"

Naruto just snorted in amusement.

"What? You think that guy just has a lousy throwing arm?"

"Hell, I don't know. Maybe. Now what did you do?"

"I used a technique called 'Barrier'. As its name implies, it creates a barrier around a target that will absorb physical damage. Slashing, bludgeoning, piercing, the works. It won't take too much damage, but its good for a decent hit or two. It works by basically expelling energy exactly equal to the pressure being applied the exact same area as it is being applied to."

While Naruto could tell that Sasuke was getting the gist of his explanation, he wasn't too surprised when Sakura chimed in.

"So it works by canceling out energy?"

"Yup. If you stabbed me with a spear, the barrier would bush out the same amount of power directly toward the spearhead to take away the momentum so it barely feels like you are poking me with it."

Sasuke frowned at the idea. It was a useful technique, to be sure.

"Teach it to me."

Naruto walked over to the body of the man he had thrown into the tree, checking on his condition. He didn't really want him to be dead after all. At Sasuke's declaration, he cocked an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter? I said teach it to me. It's a useful technique and I want to be able to utilize it."

Naruto ignored him for a few moments, thinking on his answer. While he did so, he probed the man's carotid artery with two fingers, checking for a pulse and was pleasantly surprised to sense one. Faint, but he was still alive.

"First of all, you are in no position to demand _anything_ of me, least of all my techniques. Besides, you couldn't learn them even if I felt charitable enough to teach you how."

Sasuke bristled at the implication that he was unable to learn something, and he stormed up to Naruto.

"Who the hell do you think you are talking to? I'm an Uchiha, the Rookie of the Year. Of course I will be able to learn it, and it will be stronger than _any_ you could ever use."

As his teammate stabbed a finger into his chest, Naruto seriously considered the pros and cons of knocking him on his ass, but decided against it. While sat9isfying, it simply wasn't worth the shit he would have to go through when he got back to Konoha.

"Do a hange."

"What?"

"Did I stutter? Do the henge technique. Disguise yourself as someone else, anyone. Doesn't matter who."

Sasuke gave him a look of confusion before complying. With an expert amount of Chakra, Sasuke changed his physical performance so he looked just like the nin that had tried to kill him.

"There. Now what?"

True to his prodigious status, Sasuke had it down perfectly. Even the voice was dead on, down to the distortion due to the breather mask.

"Now nothing. I rest my case. I can't teach you, even if I wanted to."

Sasuke released the technique and glared at him with almost murderous intent in his eyes.

"What the hell? That was perfect!"

"I know, but that means nothing. If you can use Chakra, you cannot use the techniques I can. No one can. Only those who have complete ineptitude for it even have a possibility."

Sasuke's heated reply was cut off by Kakashi's return. The masked Jonin was closely followed by Tazuna, who had a sickly pale demeanor.

"Team, we need to talk."

* * *

"So basically what you're saying is that these people need help badly, or their entire country is going to die. Some scumbag punk waltzes in with his huge company, buys out or forces under any competing businesses, kills the local leader and proclaims himself 'king' or whatever the hell his delusion is."

"Right."

"This guy risks life, limb, and moral integrity to sneak out of his country, leaving his unwed daughter and young grandson completely defenseless in order to come to Konoha. The entire purpose of which, is to hire protection to keep him and his men safe while they finish construction of a bridge that will safe aforementioned country."

"Uh-huh"

"Unfortunately, neither he, nor any of the people in his village have the money to pay for the sort of help that this mission would require. This forces him, so he thinks, to lie to a NINJA VILLAGE'S LEADER, whose nickname is the 'God of Shinobi', one of the most powerful men in existence back in his prime. The reasoning behind this deceit is that when the bridge is built, trade will return, business will flourish, their economy will boom, and he will be able to pay us back in full anyway."

"So it would seem."

"Through _all this_, we finally find out about his deceit and your question is whether or not we continue to help him, or leave his ass out here. In the wild. With a bounty on his head."

"Uhhh..."

"...are you high?"

Everybody laughed at that, even Sasuke though it was a bit reluctantly. He wouldn't admit it under torture, but he agreed with the Dobe. They needed to complete this mission, though his reasoning was a little twisted. It's the thought that counts though.

"Uh Sensei? I agree with Naruto. These people need our help and it's not like they aren't planning on paying us. They just can't afford to until the mission pays off for them. Really, it's a win-win."

Kakashi looked at Sakura with surprise. He wasn't quite sure what she would choose, but he wasn't expecting her to agree with Naruto so readily. While Sasuke hadn't said anything, he could see the look of resolution in his eye and knew that there was no way the boy was going to back down from this challenge. Especially since Naruto was all for it. So predictable.

"Are you sure? This is definitely going to be dangerous, and you never know what is going to happen or who this guy is going to hire to come after Tazuna, and through association, us. If you have any doubts, now is the time to say so."

Sakura bit her lip and glanced up at Kakashi.

"What happens if we do?"

"Well, given his situation. We would go back to Konoha, report to the Hokage what the situation has turned out to be. He will probably assign it new parameters and Tazuna would be asked to stay in Konoha until a team is found that can pull this off. Unfor4tunately, given one of this situation, you can never tell how long it will take. It's possible that by the time an qualified team is sent out, it will be too late."

Whatever Sakura was planning on saying was cut off by Naruto, who smiled at her confidently.

"Well then, that's not much of a choice then, is it? We are going to have to do this ourselves. We can pull this off. Besides, we have Kakashi."

"Then it's settled! It's off to Nami no Kuni we go."

The group started off down the road leading towards the ocean, but after a couple of minutes Naruto patted his back pocket and laughed.

"Oops, I think I dropped my wallet during all of the confusion. I need to go back for it."

He turned and started running back the way they came, not bothering to wait for a response.

"You guys keep on going, I'll catch up!"

While Sakura and Sasuke immediately put it out of their minds, Kakashi cocked an eyebrow in suspicion. Especially since the pocket he had patted was on the wrong side. He wouldn't have kept his wallet there anyway. Meh, it was probably nothing. He smiled happily as he went back to his novel.

About fifty feet from the two young men they had left tied to a tree, Naruto stopped and glanced towards an area thick with shadows.

"-47, come here."

The air around the shadowy tree trunk wavered and flickered before the familiar sound of a Stealth Field Generator deactivating echoed softly.

"**Query : **Yes, Master?"

"These two men. I want you to wait until I am gone, then release them before they wake up. Stay hidden and follow them. I want to know who they are, where they come from, and who else they are working with. Do not let them find you. I will contact you later with further orders."

"**Acknowledgment : **Yes, Master."

"Excellent."

Naruto approached the two still unconscious men and examined them both once more. One had a few broken ribs and the other was sporting a rather nasty looking concussion, but nothing that couldn't heal soon enough. They were going to be fine.

Casting a final look back at his first servant, Naruto ran to catch up with his team. No doubt they were wondering what was taking him so long by now.

* * *

The trip continued on from then rather peacefully, at least for a while. Eventually they noticed that Kakashi was beginning to get more and more tense, and his eyes were darting around their surroundings. Even stranger and possibly more worrying was that he had put his book away.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's wrong?"

"...I don't know. It feels like there is someone following us, but I can't sense them."

His voice was quiet enough for only his team to hear them, even Tazuna had a hard time making out the words, though when he did he almost wished he hadn't.

Naruto perked up at the words and started to wonder whether or not Kakashi had managed to trace the energy signature emitting from HK's chassis. He slowed his next couple of steps so he was a little behind the rest of his team, and scratched the hair above his right ear.

"Hk, are you there? Come in."

"_**...Answer : **Yes, Master? This is a little bit of a bad time, can you make it quick?"_

"Fine, is that you that Kakashi is sensing?"

"_**Negative : **I don't think so, Master. If it is then your 'commander' must be extraordinarily skilled. Right now I am at least a mile away from your position."_

Naruto narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips in worry.

"_**Query : **Do you want me to come to your position and provide back-up?"_

"No, don't worry about it right now. However you might want to put a little less distance between us. If something comes up that we can't handle, I want you to be close enough to give us a hand."

"_**Affirmative : **Yes, Master. I will do so immediately. **Report : **Nothing much to report on the two you ordered me to follow yet, they woke up a little while ago and have been discussing whether or not to return to their boss or to just take their chance and run. **Amused : **Either way, they are rather terrified. This man must be something special."_

"Yes, well good job, HK. Keep up the good work."

The blond didn't wait for a reply as he cut off the reception just before Sakura turned around.

"Did you say something, Naruto?"

"No... no I didn't."

"Cut the chatter you two, I think we might have company. Keep your eyes open, Naruto do whatever it is you do."

"Yes, sir.!"

While Kakashi was spiking his Chakra lightly in small pulses, Naruto opened his connection to the Force and pressed outward, trying to sense the auras of his surroundings. Immediately he was able to pick up the strongest of the signatures around him, those of his teammates and Tazuna. The light blue shade with Sakura's silhouette, The tall gray mass with a tint of blue. Tazuna's was also the same shade, though the blue was a bit more subdued, showing his neutral nature. The sharpest contrast came from Sasuke who, while still mostly dark gray, had strong swirls of red echoing around it.

From then was a bit more of an effort. Human signatures were the strongest, though a number of factors changed what appeared first with what strength. Distance, familiarity, and essence. How far away something was, how many times he had sensed that particular aura before or one similar to it, and how strong the aura itself was. Civilians tended to have a weaker aura than someone physically active in battle or something strenuous. The Force Aura was a symbol of both one's physical body and 'soul' after all and the stronger someone was, the stronger it would be.

Slowly more signatures appeared. The animals in the forest around them, the plants that made up all of the scenery, they all became visible to him with his connection to the Force. When he was confident that he was picking up everything around him, he didn't deactivate his connection. Instead, leaving it flowing while they walked. Something had Kakashi spooked after all, and if an Elite Jonin told you to keep your eyes open, you didn't even blink.

After a few more minutes, the boy started to feel something strange. A low hum that was getting slowly stronger as they continued down the road, The feeling was similar to approaching an electric generator and it made the skin on the back of his neck stand up. With a feeling of unease, he alerted the Jonin of his feeling.

"Sir, I am picking up something... strange. I think we are getting closer to something strong."

Kakashi looked back at him, his visible eye showing nothing but seriousness.

"Are you sure?"

"Certain."

"Alright, good job. Sasuke, you're up front with me. Naruto, keep your eyes peeled with your powers. Sakura, I need to to hang back and protect Tazuna. Nothing gets through, okay?"

"Right!"

Sure enough, the feeling of power got stronger and stronger as they got closer to a large lake in their path. When Naruto became sure that he was going to be electrocuted by the power of whatever it was he was sensing, a dim outline of an aura started to be visible in his enhanced sight. At first he could see nothing but its color, which was a solid gray, almost perfectly neutral. The next thing he noticed was the power behind it. Stronger than Tazuna and Sakura, more than Sasuke, hell it might even be stronger than his own, though it was hard to tell since he couldn't sense his own aura. The final thing was what bugged him though, it's shape. It was a human's.

"There! In the bushes!"

With a swift flick of his wrist, Naruto sent one of his throwing knives towards the shape in the bushes. When he stood motionless for a moment, watching what had just occurred, Sakura was the one to enter the thicket, following Naruto's eyes and knife.

"You idiot! It's just a rabbit! You damn near scared the poor thing to death with that knife."

Kakashi glanced at Naruto in question, and he only shook his head, still scanning their surroundings for anything off.

"I don't make mistakes. The Force never lies, there is someone here."

That warning was barely enough to give Kakashi the edge he needed to catch sight of the massive sword that came flying at them in the direction of Tazuna.

"Everyone, down!"

Kakashi managed to sweep his leg from where he was standing and catch Tazuna in the back of the knee, causing him to collapse to the floor and allow the sword to pass over him without touching him. Naruto turned in the direction the sword came from, and had to shield his eyes. The aura of this man was not only one of the strongest he had seen, but it was also the single darkest shade of scarlet he had encountered. Even Master Bane's was a more subdued gray with black mixed in, but this man's pretty much rivaled HK-47's in intensity. With his eyes burning from the flare, Naruto cut off the connection between his eyes and the Force, letting his eyes return to the soothing sight he had lived with his entire life before it had changed and allowing him to get a good look at the figure.

The man was standing on his sword with his back turned to the group. He stood at least head and shoulders taller than Kakashi and had a strong muscle tone. His back and chest were left bare, except for a triangular bandolier that was meant to carry his sword. His forearms and shins were covered with strange black and white print warmers, and he wore a pair of white pinstriped loose pants over basic sandals. As the man looked over his shoulder at the group, Naruto noticed the bandages that covered from his throat to his nose, hiding whatever features lay beneath.

"Ah, Sharingan Kakashi. It's good to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you."

"Momochi Zabuza. Demon of the Bloody Mist. Doesn't one of the Seven Swordsman have anything better to do than assassinate old men?"

The tall figure dropped down from his sword and Kakashi visibly tensed, taking a defensive posture.

"K-Kakashi-sensei, who is he?"

Zabuza laughed at Sakura's fear and ignorance.

"What's this? You haven't taught your students about all the dangerous people out there? You're lucky it's just me, they might have met someone that isn't as nice as I am."

His statement might have been a little kinder if it wasn't for the murderous gleam in his eye when he said it, and for some reason no one really felt all that inclined to believe him.

"But that's not why I'm here. I'm here for the old man. In fact, I'm feeling generous today. Stand back and let me take care of him, and I will let you and your precious little students walk away. How's that for a deal?"

Kakashi made a show of thinking it over before drawing a kunai from one of his pouches.

"You know, it's tempting." Tazuna blanched. "But I'm afraid I simply can't let you do that. It's bad for business you see."

Zabuza yanked his sword from the tree it was embedded in, and hefted it easily onto his shoulder.

"Worse than being dead?"

"Well... when you put it like that..."

Kakashi launched his kunai at the Demon of the Bloody Mist and drew another, calling out orders to his students.

"I want you guys to hang back and defend Tazuna, okay? This guy is way out of your league. Naruto remember, brute Force isn't always the answer!"

Naruto was confused by his commanders statement, until he saw the wink that accompanied it. Then he caught the hidden message. He wasn't to use the Force to help Kakashi or fight Zabuza. It was better he kept it hidden for now. As Kakashi and Zabuza faced off, weapons in hand, Naruto called out to HK with his comm link.

"Uhh... HK?"

"_**Answer : **Yes, Master?"_

"I think you had better hurry, We might have a problem."

"_**Query : **What kind of problem?"_

"A seven foot problem with a massive sword. Friend of yours?"

Naruto could almost _feel_ the malice on the other end of the comm link, and he heard the sounds of HK running towards his position, knocking aside everything in his path by the sound of it.

"**_Statement : _**_Him."_

"I figured as much. Well you might want to hurry it up, Kakashi is about to go toe-to-toe with your boyfriend, and he didn't live to be the rank he is without being good. If you don't get here fast, there might not be too much left for you to enact your revenge against."

"**Grateful Response : **_Thank you for the warning, Master. I will be there as quickly as I can. _**_Estimate : _**_It should be no more than six minutes."_

"Very well, see you when you get here."

Naruto closed the link and grinned evilly. Oh yeah, now it was a party.

* * *

**A/N **: Well here it is. Chapter Eight is finally done, and while it isn't out quite as early as I would have liked, it is still sooner than Seven was. Life has taken a turn for the better for me, and I haven't been this happy in a long time. I am out of my house and moved in with my Girlfriend, the lovely Ratarin. (Don't bother searching for her on , she doesn't have one. Obviously I have been really busy, but things have calmed down enough these last three of four days for me to sit down and get some serious writing down.

A big shout out to not only everyone who has taken the time to review, but also to a really talent3ed writer by the name Irritus185 for the idea for the poem at the beginning, hope I did it justice. To everyone looking for a good comedy/action fic, I highly recommend Nin-Tech. Every chapter is packed full of awesomeness and lulz-a-plenty.

Anyway, and so the Wave arc has really kicked off and Kakashi and Zabuza are about to go at it. Will Zabuza survive long enough to get his ass kicked by HK-47? Will our Psycho Droid companion even be _able_ to kick his ass? Who was the mysterious gray figure in the bushes? Find out the answers to these questions and many more... whenever I feel like finishing Chapter Nine!

Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai


	9. Complications

**Ch. 9 : Complications**

_A/N : Another day, another chapter. Read and enjoy. As per usual, more at the bottom._

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

* * *

"_**Grateful Response : **Thank you for the warning, Master. I will be there as quickly as I can. **Estimate : **It should be no more than six minutes."_

"_Very well, see you when you get here."_

_Naruto closed the link and grinned evilly. Oh yeah, now it was a party. _

_XxXxXxXxX_

- Half-day's travel from Konohagakure -

Naruto's bravado despite the situation went entirely unnoticed as the two elite Shinobi faced off with two shocked Genin watching in awe. Naruto meanwhile, could barely contain his excitement. Not only was he facing his first real opponent, but also he was about to see HK-47 in action for the first time. Sure he had seen the Droid during his training exercises, but as the Droid would say, it just wasn't the same. The way his companion had reacted to the description of Zabuza, it was obvious that he held no small amount of animosity towards the man. All he had to do was stall for time until he arrived. That shouldn't be that much of a problem... right?

"Well, Sharingan-Kakashi. If there is no way I can convince you to walk away and do things the easy way..."

Their enemy flashed out a sequence of hand signals, too fast for the kids to follow, though Kakashi tensed up visibly, even to them.

"I guess we are going to have to do things... my way."

From behind the missing nin a thick fog rolled in, not only obscuring the man, but completely swallowing him in an impenetrable shroud. Kakashi cursed loudly and if possible, he tightened up even more.

"Watch your backs and form up in a diamond formation, Tazuna in the center. This technique is extremely dangerous and his signature. There is no way to track him in this mist, so Do NOT let your guard down for a second."

The man's words were quickly followed by a wave of something as though to prove his point. The only thing Sasuke could possibly describe it was... death. He hadn't felt as scared as he was now since the day his clan was massacred. His throat was dry and he couldn't swallow the lump that had risen in his throat. Despite the cold air, he felt a drop of sweat bead and slide down his forehead, running into his eyes and impairing his vision.

"Eight points. The larynx, spine, liver, lungs, kidneys, jugular vein, collarbone, and heart. All of which _will_ cause death. Which one do you prefer, huh?"

As the group of Genin stood motionlessly, the aura of malice grew even more powerful, forcing Sakura down to her knees under the weight of it. Even Naruto found it impossible to keep up the charade when he felt the sheer Killing Intent the man gave off.

_'What the hell is this? I-I can't breath!'_

Without thinking about it, Naruto subconsciously fell back on the training he had received before he had awakened, and flushed his aura with a cleansing surge of the Force. The warming glow of the Light managed to keep the KI at bay long enough for him to fight his own impulses and break himself from it. In his mind he continued to count down the time until the Droid's arrival, practically shivering in anticipation.

_'Five...'_

"Damn Guy, I don't know what that just was but you should probably get it checked out. Those levels of stress can't be healthy!"

As retarded as the statement might have been, it was just what the situation called for. Both Sasuke and Sakura were so surprised at his words they were shaken from the fear that had been gripping their chests.

Kakashi couldn't hide his surprise at his student either, and nor did he try to. Even though the boy was just a Genin, he had managed to shake off the focused Killing Intent of a powerful missing-in, not only for himself but for his teammates as well. The temporary lapse in concentration almost got him killed as Zabuza swung his massive sword in a wide arc. The attack was barely parried with the kunai in his hand, and Kakashi made it a point not to get distracted again, lest it cost a life.

When Zabuza returned to the impenetrable mist, Kakashi spared a glance back at Sasuke and smiled.

"Don't worry Sasuke. I won't let any of you die. I will protect the three of you with my life. I promise."

The Jonin's words snapped the three out of the remaining shock, and they nodded, features steeled and ready to fight.

"I'll admit, Kakashi..."

Zabuza's words came from all directions, making it impossible to pin him down. Naruto probed outward with the Force, but even with the Force he was having trouble keeping a decent bead on the man. He would simply not stay still!

"Your brats are impressive in their own way, especially the blond one. Able to shake off even _my_ presence? It's a pity they have to die today or they probably could have made something of themselves."

In an impressive show of dexterity, Kakashi ducked under another swing of the broad sword and lashed out with his kunai, scoring a long ragged cut across Zabuza's midsection. The group of Konoha-nin watched on as a thin fluid poured from the wound, and Naruto couldn't help but comment.

"Remember Sasuke, blood is thicker than water."

"What the hell are you talking about now?"

The banter was sharply cut off when Kakashi's opponent dissolved into water and splashed down in a puddle on the ground, turning the dry dirt to fresh mud.

"Shit, Mizu-bunshin."

Kakashi's words were clipped and quiet, already searching around for his enemy. Despite his vigilance, he was still caught off guard when Zabuza materialized behind him and cut him cleanly in half. Sakura's scream was the only sound to break the silence as the three young students and Tazuna watched on in horror.

Zabuza's victory was cut short when, like his own before, Kakashi's body erupted into a small body of water, which soaked the dusty earth.

"All you're doing is copying me, like a monkey! You can't beat me with cheap tricks, Kakashi!"

"Then how about this?"

The ex-Kiri Shinobi only just stepped back in time to avoid a vicious uppercut from Kakashi, who had come from the ground underneath him. Zabuza chuckled darkly as he hefted his weapon and swung from the hip, putting a considerable amount of power behind it. Kakashi danced around the blow and lashed out again with his kunai, scoring a light scratch across his corded bicep.

An infuriated snarl was all the warning either of them got before the fight began in earnest, and all the others could do was watch on.

_'Four...'_

Sasuke could hardly believe what his eyes were seeing, or rather, what they _weren't _seeing. Zabuza swung the mighty blade with more speed than should be physically possible, and Kakashi simply flowed around every attack with ease. Watching the two artists in motion was all the assurance he needed that he had too much work to do before he could even hope to catch up with his brother.

Naruto's features were tight as he focused on the battle at hand. Everything he could gleam from Zabuza's fighting style could help HK defeat him, and he had no intention of allowing his closest companion suffer such damage as he did the last time the two had fought.

Kakashi furrowed his brow as he felt his implanted Sharingan tugging on his Chakra supply. While it was comforting because it meant his eye was working as it should, the drain was too heavy for him to be able to sustain it indefinitely and he had to be sure to wrap the fight up as soon as possible, lest he suffer from Chakra exhaustion. His opponent swung the pommel of his massive sword at his head. With a palm strike to divert the blow however, the fight continued in earnest.

Zabuza didn't try at all to stop the laugh that he felt building around the blood-lust. He hadn't had this much fun in months! So far the Konoha-nin had upheld his reputation remarkably, and he was the best opponent he could remember fighting in a long time. Possibly from before the failed coup that had landed them in this situation.

Easily able to keep up with his level of speed, Kakashi had not had any real problems as of yet dodging his massive weapon of choice. While infuriating, the massive man had to admit that he was enjoying the challenge it provided.

_'Three...'_

Sakura bit her lip in worry as her Sensei faced off with a notoriously powerful rouge Shinobi. While Naruto and Sasuke obviously hadn't remembered the man's name, she had. From the history classes taught at the Academy she recalled the name of one particular member of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist; Momochi Zabuza.

As she watched the fight, she noticed Naruto out of the corner of her eye and the thought struck her that he wasn't doing anything to help their leader in his fight.

"Naruto! What the hell do you thing you are doing? Why aren't you helping Kakashi-sensei?"

The blond didn't look away from the fight, but answered over his shoulder.

"Kakashi wanted me to stay back and not interfere, so I won't."

"But he might die if you don't do anything!"

"Relax, will you? I'm sure he can handle himself. And besides, I have a plan."

Sakura and Sasuke both gave him a startled look.

"What plan?"

Naruto grinned out of one side of his mouth and looked at them with a vicious smirk.

"...backup."

The three students turned back to the fight in time to see Kakashi suffer a brutal spin kick, courtesy of Zabuza. The strength behind the attack lifted him airborne and sent him flying backwards into the massive body of water that lay behind him. Zabuza glanced back at the group of four with a cruel smile, then ran out onto the surface of the water after his prey.

The second Kakashi had hit the water, he pumped Chakra to his back and soles of his feet to not only stabilize himself in the tumultuous waters, but also give his body a little bit extra buoyancy that forced him to the surface toward the air that his lungs craved. He had hit the water unprepared, and though his mask might be able to filter out miniscule amounts of oxygen from the water itself, it wasn't enough for him to stay submerged for that much longer than he could naturally hold his breath.

Gasping silently in relief when his head broke the surface, he cursed his own inadequacy as Zabuza started making hand-signs while he was in the water. The particular sequence from what he could make out, was a modified version of one he already knew from the last war and could be particularly fatal in this circumstance.

"Ha, you idiot. Suiton: Suirou no Jutsu."

"Kakashi-Sensei!"

Sakura's scream was preempted by the water that flowed outward from Zabuza's outstretched palms and upward from the lake itself, creating a solid dome that completely encased the Jonin.

"This is a special technique that you won't be able to escape from. Why don't you get comfortable and sit tight for a little while? I'm going to have a little bit of fun with your cute little students. Oh don't worry though! I'll come back for you later. Save the best for last after all. Mizu-bunshin no Jutsu."

Water flowed from around his ankles and slowly slimed upwards to form yet another copy of the towering monster of a man. With a murderous laugh, the water clone drew the sword from its back and started walking casually to the three Genin.

"You guys! Run! This has gotten way out of your league. He isn't going to be able to move while he has me trapped here and his Water Clones don't have that far of a range away from his real body. You can still escape, take Tazuna with you!"

Zabuza laughed at Kakashi's attempt to talk his students out of continuing the fight, already foreseeing the outcome.

"You think they are going to run? This is their first mission outside of your safe and cozy village, isn't it?"

The three flinched at the truth thrown at them in such a brutal manner.

"They aren't about to go back home and tell their families and friends that they had failed their very first mission, right out the gate. Are you? Their pride just won't allow it. We were just like them at one point after all, remember? So eager and willing to please."

Despite the almost comical glare of both outrage and worry from their commander, Naruto and Sasuke just shared a look. With the slightest grin from Naruto and a smirk from Sasuke, they came to a consensus.

"Sasuke, all we have to do is buy a little time. Understand?"

"What the hell do you have in mind, Dobe?"

"I already told you. Backup..."

_'Two...'_

Kakashi could have sworn again at the bullheadedness from both of his male students. Even faced off against the clone of an opponent that wasn't that far below Kakashi's level, they refused to make the sensible choice and flee.

"Uh, Momochi? I don't suppose you would mind releasing our squad leader, would you? It would really make all of our lives easier. Well... except yours I guess."

Both Zabuza and his clone stared at Naruto, wide-eyed at the sheer audacity of the boy.

"...seriously?"

In the blink of an eye, the water clone rushed towards Naruto and swung it's sword in a shallow sideways arc, trying to carve him in two. With the speed and reflexes he had only started to really become accustomed to in the last couple of weeks, Naruto was barely able to dodge the blow and stepped backwards a couple of paces, putting more distance between himself and the crazed missing-nin, though his jacket whipped up at the displaced air.

"Is that a 'no' then?"

The battle cry that followed was enough to wipe out any chance of diplomacy that might or might not have existed after that.

"Yeah, I didn't think so. Sasuke, now!"

The water clones spun to see Sasuke in the air behind him, inhaling deeply for one of his stronger techniques.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

The clone adjusted its sword while the boy expelled the technique, and at he last second swung the sword like a battleaxe, dispersing the solid fireball into a smaller wave that rolled over its form, though its skin began to melt as though it were ice, a river of droplets running down its chest and sides.

The false Zabuza laughed at Sasuke in maniacal glee for a moment, preparing to charge forward again. Its plans were thoroughly ruined however, by the throwing knife that punched its way through the back of its neck and directly through the throat, just under the chin. The clone gurgled for a moment before dispersing, flooding the damp earth with the water remaining from the dispelled technique.

"Oh yeah, what then! You see that shot Sasuke? POW! Right in the kisser."

Despite the situation, the raven combatant couldn't help but spout a line of his own.

"Actually, you missed. It came out his throat."

Naruto just waved his hand dismissively, picking up the blade he had just thrown.

"Meh, details details."

The charade infuriated Zabuza more than he could have imagined, the piss-ants were about to die, and they were joking about it? What the hell!

"So you're able to deal with one of my clones? You think that means you two are hotshots? Well how about you try this on for size, huh?"

With another one-handed seal and a veritable wave of Chakra, Zabuza conjured no less than four additional clones, each armed with its own gleaming broadsword and a evil smile.

"..."

"..."

"...Sasuke?"

"...Yeah?"

"...I think we might have a problem."

"...Yeah."

_'One...'_

Kakashi could barely bring himself to watch as his students were forced to face off against four opponents, all of which were more powerful than they were, at the same time. Even worse was that from his position inside the prison, there was nothing he could do to help them fight.

The four clones charged at two of his students at the same time, in a Shock-and-Awe approach. Under normal circumstances, it might have succeeded but their defeat of the first clone had given Naruto and Sasuke the confidence they needed to stand strong against the oncoming threat, and get ready to fight. Sasuke drew a number of kunai from his pouch and Naruto flipped his jacket open to reveal a single row of throwing knives, attached to the each side.

"Hey Kakashi? Sorry about this, but I kinda need to break your rule for a minute."

The confusion lasted only a minute before the trapped Jonin saw a faint distortion around the blades Naruto currently held in his hands. Obvious, now that he knew what he was looking at, that he was using the Force.

"You know what? I think I can let it slip this time, as long as you protect your team."

"It's a deal!"

Ignoring the scowl on Sasuke's face at the insinuation that he needed protecting, Naruto channeled the Force around the blades and threw them with all his might towards the clone leading the charge. With a deft flick of its wrist, it knocked aside the knives with no problem and continued unimpeded. The blond barely had time to roll out of the way and draw another pair before two of the towering figures descended on him in a flash, intent on tearing him to pieces before he had the chance to do anything worthwhile.

Sasuke was likewise having trouble dealing with a pair of Zabuza-clones, but was doing his best with a set of shuriken and ninja wire to keep them at a distance so they couldn't use their swords. While not as effective as it could have been, it was still doing its job and allowing him to avoid getting hit by a stray swing, the slightest of which could easily put him out of the fight for good. He had no doubts that he wasn't likely to survive too much damage from those huge swords of theirs.

Through his reflection, one of the clones was able to cut the wire connected to a shuriken and slip under his defenses and into the area of opportunity the attack provided. With unrestrained glee, the clone hefted its massive sword while the other watched on. Sasuke could practically feel his life flash before his eyes and he closed them gently. There was no way he was going to survive this strike. The struggle had fatigued him too much, and he didn't have the strength left to dodge or block. His time had come, it was as simple as that.

No sooner had he thought those words did the image of his family flash in his mind. The blood that slid down the arms of his father as he held his sword in defense, even in his death. The vision-less gaze that rested on him from his mother, who had tried to shield him from harm. Familiar flames burned in his stomach and the hatred fueled his dying strength. There was no way he would allow himself to die before he had killed the one responsible for his suffering.

Filled with a new determination, Sasuke's eyes flashed open and he glared at the clone before him with unbridled hatred. Focusing all of his rage into a single moment, Sasuke prepared to avoid the blow at the last second and provide himself an attack to take out the clone that was before him. It was no longer a powerful enemy ninja. It wasn't something to cower before and to fear. It was simply something that stood in the way of his righteous fury and his inevitable vengeance. It was to be destroyed.

As his entire essence burned, Sasuke glared up directly into the eyes of his opponent. The focused heat of* his anger filled his vision, and just as he thought he was about to burst from the emotion coursing through him, the clones head... exploded.

It simply burst.

With unrestrained astonishment, Sasuke watched the headless corpse fall to the ground in slow motion, before splashing into yet another puddle to add to the already soaking ground. What the hell had just happened? The boy turned his gaze to examine the clone's counterpart and he saw a look of shock that probably mirrored his own. The look only lasted a moment however, before a flash of red light streaked toward its chest and punched clean through its torso. Whatever the flash was, it tore through the water with a surge of heat that caused the water it his to erupt into a pillar of steam, before following the path of its brother.

By now completely weirded out and confused, Sasuke looked to his teammate in the hopes of an explanation. Though no answers came, he _did _get the chance to see the same thing happen once more, this time hitting the water-body in one arm and completely severing it, both chunks of flesh bursting into water as soon as they hit the ground.

Using the disturbance to his advantage, Naruto pressed the attack and managed to penetrate the guard of his last opponent, jamming a throwing knife into the clones exposed stomach and twisting it viciously. Both Naruto and the Clone were motionless for a moment before water began to leak out of the wound, slowly at first and quickly becoming a fountain. After what seemed like an eternity, the clone hit the ground and returned to the water that had aided in its construction.

Naruto simply wiped the blade off on his pants, then turned to the origin of the flashes of red light and grinned cruelly.

"Nice of you to join us. Right on time."

"**Response : **I wouldn't miss it for the world."

_XxXxXxXxX_

"You're going to die, you know."

Zabuza switched his attention from the... thing... that had just appeared to his prisoner, who had just spoken.

"What?"

"I said you're going to die."

"Oh? And what makes you think that?"

"Because from the looks of it, that thing is _pissed_."

The Ex-Mist Shinobi followed the cyclops' line of sight, and his eyes widened in astonishment and exhilaration.

"You! I killed you!"

"**Threat : **No, you didn't. But you should have. **Query : **May I kill him now, Master?"

"Yes, HK. Go for it."

Zabuza's heart started pounding in his ears when the metal man leveled the weapon it held in its hands and aimed it in his direction. He had seen what happened when his clones were hit by whatever came out of the end, and he had no intention of allowing the same to happen to himself.

Releasing the technique that held Kakashi prisoner, Zabuza leaped from his position as fast as he could, barely dodging the deadly beam of crimson that evaporated the mist where he was just standing. Likewise, Kakashi jumped out of the way to avoid any chance of friendly fire and landed next to Naruto, who was watching the proceedings gleefully.

"Naruto, do you mind explaining to me what the hell is going on here? What is that thing?"

Naruto waved a hand at him in a dismissive manner, trying to focus on the 'fight' between Zabuza and HK. Mostly the Droid firing his blaster in Zabuza's direction, and the bloody demon doing his best to avoid being hit. He was actually doing pretty well, he had to give him that much.

"Don't worry about it. HK-47 is on our team. Well... _my_ team."

Kakashi twitched, but didn't comment further. He really wasn't sure what to say about that.

"Where did he come from? There is no way he could have gotten here from Konoha that fast."

"I had him following us since we left. You never know what might go wrong. Besides, he has something of a... personal vendetta against our eyebrow-less friend here."

Kakashi watched as a large chunk of a tree was destroyed, leaving the rest of the tree to fall in slow motion, crashing heavily into the ground.

"Yeah... I see that. What is he doing with that thing? What are those beams?"

Naruto snorted in irritation, he was trying to watch the fight, dammit!

"I'll explain it to you later, but I want to see this. I haven't been able to see HK fight before, and I have a feeling that this is going to be good."

His team leader scowled a little at being dismissed, but had to agree that this was pretty interesting. Especially since _he _wasn't the target of killer machines this time. While the artificial humanoid's movements were stiff and reminded him of the gears of a clock, they had a certain finesse to them. Especially in the way it wielded its ranged weapon. Every shot made with expert precision and without hurry. It was as though he was a predator that already knew its prey had been caught with no way out. Every shot he made was herding the man into a single specific area in the center of the clearing, still close to the side of the lake.

"Naruto, what is he doing? By the looks of it he could have killed him multiple times by now."

The glint in the boys eye worried him, and he made a not to talk to the boy about his changing behavior sooner than he had initially expected.

"HK doesn't want to kill him with the blaster. The last time he was out here, Zabuza caught him by surprise and cut him in half-"

"That thing got cut in _half_?"

"Yeah, but we were able to fix him up. Mostly at least, he is still a little stiff by the looks of it, but he will make a full recovery soon enough."

Kakashi had the mental image of the Droid crawling across the ground with no legs, dragging itself by its arms, it's intent to kill completely undeterred by the massive trauma, and he shuddered internally at the thought.

"Okay, I'm starting to get used to the whole 'Droid' thing, but he doesn't look anything like those... Magnaguards?... that you sent after me."

"Yeah, that's because they are two completely different things. HK is... one of a kind. Oh, check it out! He has him where he wants him."

Their conversation stopped when the man and Droid met each other in the center of the clearing, right by the lake.

Sasuke stared onwards in complete shock, no longer even pretending to look impassive. When Naruto had told him that he had backup coming, he had expected those two Droid things that had showed up to fight Kakashi-sensei during their examination, but whatever this thing was, it was completely different. It was shorter by about half a foot, it didn't have a cape, it looked like it was a lot older in design and less fluid, and it wasn't using a melee weap-... no wait, he spoke too soon.

Sakura could hardly believe what was happening. Something had come out of the woods behind her and simply started destroying things while trying to hit Zabuza. Whatever those red things were, they seemed to hit with the power of an explosive tag as whatever was unfortunate enough to touch them just... ceased to exist... violently. For the first time since the fight had started, Sakura started to have hope that maybe things weren't as bad as she had first thought. There was only so long the missing-nin could go before he was hit by one of the beams, and then it would be all over.

At least, those were her thoughts until the newcomer stopped firing and put the gun on its back, fastening it there without rope or thread or a holster of any kind. From beside the gun he drew a vicious looking sword that glimmered along the blade, emitting a really faint humming sound, almost as though the air around it was vibrating.

"**Acknowledgment : **Momochi Zabuza, it has been some time since we first met. I assure you, I am not unprepared this time."

"Yeah, I'm sure. I killed you once and I can do it again. That flimsy little pocketknife of yours isn't going to protect you from Kubikiri Houcho. I'm going to cut you into little pieces, then I'm coming for the blonde over there that you like so much!"

"**Retort : **You will do so over my cold... deactivated... slag."

"Yeah, I know!"

In a flash, Zabuza was running towards HK-47, sword drawn in anticipation of an easy kill. His blow was easily parried though, when HK took a step back and turned with the flat of the blade to divert the force to his side easily, and used the momentum to lash out with a kick to the stomach. Zabuza went with the movement and spun to the side, dodging the kick and spinning into his own roundhouse that would have done a rather serious amount of damage to any organic opponent. HK simply ducked under the blow and lunged with his vibrosword, forcing the man to leap out of the way and directly next to the lakeside.

"You know, whatever you are, you are pretty foolish. You let me land right next to a water source!"

"**Admission : **It was no accident, meatbag. **Explanation : **I want to see what you are capable of, and from what I gather you can only perform at your best near water. Thus, here we are."

Zabuza's brow furrowed in anger at his opponents attitude, and he started flashing through seals to use one of his strongest techniques.

"Oh yeah? Well that was a big mistake. Check _this _out!"

Kakashi recognized the seals with his Sharingan and automatically associated them with the technique, one he was quite familiar with. He quickly began forming the same seals to neutralize the attack before HK could be wiped out, but Naruto stopped him, shaking his head.

"Don't."

"Naruto, I know that attack! There is no way your Droid will be able to survive it!"

The boy just smirked and flicked a bang of hair out of his eyes so he could see better, flashing Kakashi a confident glance.

"Whatever it is? It isn't enough."

The confidence in his voice was enough for Kakashi to allow the technique he had been forming to disperse, and reabsorb the Chakra into his system. They would see, and he truly wished Naruto was right, or they were about to have some serious problems.

While Zabuza formed handseals, HK circled around him so the man's back was facing his Master and his meatbag companions. It wouldn't do for the young Master to be hit by a stray attack after all, what kind of servant would he be if he allowed a Master to die by anyone but his own hands? Not that he would ever do such a thing of course!

"**Irritated Insult : **Are you going to do anything, or just play patty-cake with yourself?"

"Shut UP! Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu!"

The massive dragon of water that appeared behind Zabuza was enough to make HK pause for a moment, before he shifted into a defensive stance and braced himself for the impact. Sure enough, the serpent roared loudly before leaning forward and rushing towards the Droid, suddenly tiny in comparison. The dragon cared nothing for the size of its target though, and it plowed directly into the cold metal that made up the Droid.

Kakashi winced at the impact of the dragon, knowing exactly the devastation that that one technique caused. He was probably going to have to be the one to explain to Naruto the price that came with watching your comrades and most importantly, subordinates, fight alone. Their deaths.

When he turned to Naruto, he saw the familiar look of worry for a moment, but before he could offer any form of comfort or condolences, the frown changed into a sunny grin of triumph. With a twist of the neck that he would be surprised if he didn't suffer from whiplash later, he looked back at the impact sight to find the Droid standing proud despite the soaking earth around him.

"**Taunt : **If that is the best you can manage, I feel my time here has been wasted."

Zabuza roared in sheer outrage and summoned two water clones from the drenched earth..

"Why won't you DIE!"

"**Amused Comment : **Dying is a human concept, and I am not bound by your limitations."

The three Zabuza's charged at the Droid, swords raised. The Droid refused to be cowed, and simply waited until they were right on top of him before blocking one strike with his vibrosword and dodging around the others.

The four original members of Team Seven and Tazuna watched on in fascination and no small amount of fear on the parts of everyone who wasn't Naruto. To think that the hyperactive blond had this... thing, under his command? It was a concept that would lead to no small number of nightmares once this whole ordeal was over with.

The dance of death was swift and over surprisingly quickly, though Kakashi was able to see everything with his Sharingan activated. The outright skill of the machine was actually both impressive and surprising. From what little he knew about computers and machines, they could only do what they were specifically told to do and how to act. The way this 'HK' both moved, fought, and acted, there was no way that kind of technology existed today. He was simply far too advanced to have been produced by life as they knew it. Maybe Naruto's story _did_ have truth to it. What worried him though, was one little thought. If they had machines as advanced as this walking, talking killing machine and the two monstrosities that he had been forced to fight two months ago... what _else_ did he have under his control?

When the clash of metal on metal was over with, both clones were 'dead' and Zabuza was standing back with a severe gash across his chest which was bleeding profusely. One arm was hanging limp as well, possibly dislocated judging from the power of the second to last blow that he had tried to block one-handed. That block ended with his arm being jarred with a huge amount of force, and was quickly followed by the slash across the chest which needed to be tended to soon, lest he lose too much blood and fall unconcious.

"Alright, you are a better opponent than I had suspected. I underestimated you.

"**Response : **Yes, you humans tend to do that quite often, don't you?"

"I assure you, next time won't be as simple."

"**Surprised Rhetoric : **Oh? And what makes you think there will _be _a next time?"

Zabuza snarled like a cornered animal and lifted his sword with his only good hand.

"Fine, if that is the way it is going to be, then so be-"

His words were cut off by a pair of acupuncture needles that embedded themselves deep in his neck. The man's eyes rolled up into his skull and he dropped to his knees slowly, then face first into the dirt and mud. The gathered group all looked into the area from which the needles came, and saw a figure standing in a tree across the clearing. Whoever they were, their loose robes caught the breeze and wafted in the air. Their face was covered by a decorated mask, symbolic of teams of hunters and their stance was one of cool professionalism.

"Ah, whoever you are, I thank you for aiding me in taking down Momochi-san. I have been following him for some time now, trying to find the right moment to eliminate him. I'm sure Kirigakure will have no problem with compensating you for your part, all of you."

Kakashi frowned at the appearance of the individual and crossed his arm before approaching Zabuza.

"Ah, Kiri's Undertaker Squad. I am a little surprised to see you following Zabuza here, I was unaware that he had attracted your attention."

The hunter dropped down from their perch and approached Zabuza's body, watching as Kakashi examined it more closely. They weren't the only ones who took interest in the body though, as HK also got nearer to the corpse.

"Yes, he has been a thorn in the side of our government for some time now, and they finally had enough, so they sent me."

"**Enraged : **Human, do you mind explaining to me why you would dare take my kill?"

Despite the mask to hide their features, it was obvious by the step backward they took that the hunter was scared of the metal being that had walked up behind them without their notice.

"I-I apologize, but it was my mission to bring him down!"

"**Rebuttal : **As it was mine. It was also personal for me, and I am not pleased that the satisfaction of his death was taken from me."

When HK's hand strayed back towards his sword, Naruto hurried to intervene. During the chatter, he had activated his Force Sight to make sure that Zabuza was dead. He found himself to be surprised on two counts. One, Zabuza was in fact, not dead. There was no amount of residual Force energy left in _any _body to account for that which flowed through him now. Also, the hunter that had 'killed' him had the exact same signature as the figure he had spotted in the woods not twenty minutes ago.

Conclusion? They were working together.

"Oh, don't worry HK. I'm sure something will come along for you to get your satisfaction."

"**Query : **Master, what do you mean?"

Naruto leaned forward and whispered something quietly so only HK could hear, unaware that Kakashi was listening in.

"The hunter is working with him, and he isn't dead."

Kakashi hid his surprise well, but the Droid had no such inhibition.

"**Excited statement : **Well, I guess that might make up for it. I guess we will have to wait and see, eh Master?"

Naruto just laughed at his companion and turned back to the Hunter.

"Sorry about that, he can get a little worked up if he hasn't had his daily dose of bloodshed."

The group could almost _feel _the hunter wither under that statement.

"R-right, well I had better take his body back to headquarters so it can be disposed of properly. Thank you again for your help, I will make sure that command is informed of your participation."

As the Hunter slid Zabuza's arm over a shoulder and prepared a shunshin, Kakashi spoke up with an eye smile.

"Ah, Hunter-san, aren't you forgetting the procedure? You should be disposing of it right now and only take the head with you. Here, let me help you."

The silver cyclops drew a kunai from his pouch and stepped forward to decapitate the 'body', but the Hunter seemed to panic before fleeing via the shunshin. At Kakashi's curse, both Sasuke and Sakura looked at him in confusion, and the look he gave them wasn't too comforting.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's wrong? Zabuza's dead so he isn't a problem any more... right?"

The Jonin just sighed and rubbed his face with the palm of one hand and covered his left eye, steadying himself against a tree while he did so.

"Sakura, how much do you know about Kiri's Hunter teams?"

"About as much as the academy taught us. They are sent out after dangerous missing-nin if Kirigakure feels they have become too much of a problem."

"Correct, and when they find them?"

The question was directed toward Sasuke, who answered automatically.

"They are to eliminate the threat and then destroy the body to ensure no clan or village secrets fall into enemy hands."

"Again, correct. But I think you are missing a single important detail."

"They are to destroy the body _on the spot_, and return with only the head, no exceptions. This Hunter didn't."

"Which means...?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and grunted in frustration, catching onto what Kakashi was implying. Sakura was soon to follow, though her reaction spoke of fear more than irritation.

"That means Zabuza isn't really dead, is he?"

"No Sakura, he isn't."

Tazuna just happened to wander up to them at that point, bottle once more in hand but a, surprisingly, pleased look on his face.

"Hey, I just wanted to thank you guys again. I take back everything I said about you guys, you are stronger than I had thought and you decided to stick around and save my hide, even though I didn't really deserve it. It makes me feel pretty bad, knowing that I called you a over-glorified pervert."

"Uh, Tazuna-san, you never called Kakashi-sensei a over-glorified pervert."

The middle-aged man rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Well, not to his face I didn't."

That made the entire group laugh, even Kakashi. With their spirits lifted and morale restored, the group set off on the dusty road to Nami no Kuni, which seemed much, much closer now that they had real combat experience under their belt. With the relief of the situation being resolved, no one but Naruto noticed when HK-47 blended into the shadows and disappeared to return to his prior assignment. Zabuza would return, and when he did they would fight again. Until then, he had been given orders and he was going to serve his Master to the best of his abilities.

The remaining trip was made with many jokes being told and stories passed back and forth between Kakashi, Tazuna, and even Naruto chiming in with odd bits of information on his new home and companions. Yes, things were really looking up for Team Seven, at least for a while.

Then Kakashi did a face-plant, hitting the road hard and throwing a plume of dust straight up. When the group crowded around him to make sure he was still alive, they weren't all _that_ surprised to hear a set of enthusiastic snores coming from the dead weight that was their teacher. Naruto wasn't the only one to laugh.

"Hey old-man, think you could carry Kakashi for us? We're kinda beat from the fight and Sakura is... well... Sakura."

The girl didn't feel all that inclined to voice her disapproval. Why would she want to carry Kakashi anyway?

"Yeah, sure. No problem."

The man lifted their teacher easily and slung him over his shoulder with strength that betrayed his physical appearance. Even with his drinking, the man bore Kakashi's weight easily all the way back to his home city. It was a small price to pay for the ones who saved his life after all.

_XxXxXxXxX_

After another few hours of travel, Tazuna marched proudly up to a somewhat run-down building and threw the door open happily.

"Hey Tsunami! Guess who's home?"

The old man was almost bowled over by a young woman with dark hair who tackled him with a flying hug.

"Father! You're safe!"

Tazuna laughed and patter his daughter on the back happily with his free hand, long since freed from the burden of his sake bottle.

"Yep! And it's all thanks to this group of Konoha-nin that kept me safe on the way back! They even fought this really strong guy with a huge sword on my behalf."

Tsunami beamed happily, pleased with her father's safety, before she noticed Kakashi's unconscious form still being hefted around like a large, loud, rag-doll.

"Oh! Is he okay? He doesn't look so good."

Naruto stepped forward and slapped Kakashi on the shoulder, right where he had gotten a particularly harsh wound, courtesy of Zabuza's sword.

"Oh yeah, he'll be fine. He just needs some rest, is all."

They dutifully ignored the whimper of pain. Tsunami giggled softly at their antics and waved her arm at the stair behind her.

"I have set up a couple of guest rooms for you to stay in. The first door on both the left and right are yours. Put him in whichever one you think most appropriate."

"Thank you, Tsunami-san."

While Sakura and Tazuna went upstairs to get Kakashi settled in, Naruto motioned to Sasuke and jerked his head in the direction of the front door, signaling that he wanted to talk outside. Sasuke caught the message and nodded, following him out. The young woman watched them leave, worried at the looks etched into their faces before returning to the kitchen to continue working on dinner.

Naruto and Sasuke walked down the path leading from the house a little ways, stopping at the short wooden fence that marked the border of the house. From what they had seen when they entered the village, Tazuna hadn't been exaggerating when he had described the economic damage of Gato's operations in and around the village. Houses and businesses were boarded up and abandoned. Starving men, women, and children plagued the streets begging what they could and in saddening circumstances, stealing what they couldn't.

Even Tazuna's house, one of the nicer ones in the district, was somewhat run-down and in a state of disrepair. The entire village seemed to have a shadow that hung over it, feeding on the energy all the people _should_ be feeling. Through it all though, Naruto had felt a sense of... familiarity. As though he should know the feeling that pervaded the country. He had felt something like this before, and if he could only remember what it was, he had a feeling that he could fix it.

When Sasuke came to stand next to him, Naruto remained silent for a moment, staring up at the moon which was in the third stage of its progression, three quarters full and swelling. Chances were the full moon would have come and gone before they saw Konoha again. He only hoped that he would have enough time to do what he had been ordered to. Things had to change in this city, and all it was going to take were some supplies to the right people. The boulder had already been pushed to the top of the mountain, he just had to give the final shove and watch the fireworks.

"Alright Dobe, what did you bring me out here for?"

"Obviously you know that the Hunter and Zabuza are working together. I was able to catch a glimpse of Zabuza's vital signs while he was 'dead', and from the looks of it he isn't doing so good. He will be down for a couple of days, at least. A week or more if he doesn't want to risk a possibly disfiguring injury."

"Yeah? So what does that mean to me?"

"It means we have one week to get to the point that we can take him on and win. I also want to know as much about this village as possible before then. Zabuza isn't the only threat here, and we have been ordered to protect the builders of the bridge until it is completed. What is the best way to protect something?"

Sasuke thought about it for a moment, before smirking.

"Eliminate the source of all threats. But Kakashi-sensei is hurt. Shouldn't we wait for him to heal before we jump into anything?"

Naruto cocked a brow at the Uchiha's hesitation.

"Heh, I'm surprised. I thought you would have leaped at this chance."

Sasuke's suspicion became visible as he pressed the issue.

"What do you mean? What chance?"

Naruto looked back up at the sky, hiding his face in the shadows provided by the moon. The boy was simply too predictable. It was almost scary how manipulable he was.

"Do you think Gato simply has a summer house back here somewhere? He is going to be protected, possibly by a veritable _army_ of trained and experienced mercenaries. Plus who knows what extra defenses. I understand if you aren't up to the challenge though. Hell, I'm a little scared myself."

The second Sasuke bristled at the comment, Naruto knew he had him, hook, line, and sinker.

"I'm not scared, Dobe. I'm just surprised you would think about stuff like this. You haven't been acting like the idiot we all know you are lately."

Naruto glanced over at him nonchalantly before smiling slightly and tapping his temple with a single forefinger.

"What makes you think I ever was?"

The way Sasuke's eyes glittered made Naruto almost start laughing out loud. The Uchiha was right, he _did_ used to be an idiot, but there was no reason for him to know that. He wasn't a moron any more, that was what counted. So what if the dates were lost in translation? If Sasuke reconsidered everything he had ever known about him, it could only make himself look better in his eyes. And where his plans stood right now? That was vital. Sasuke was a valuable asset, he just had to be brought to the point where he could be used correctly.

"Hnn. Well, suppose I wanted to go along with this insane plan of yours, what would you suggest?"

Naruto stretched his back before crossing his arms and leaning back on the fence, looking back up lazily.

"First of all, we would need to scout out around town some. Find out the basic information. What happened lately, people of interest, who is working for Gato that we can... persuade, to give us a little insight into his 'big picture'. The sort of thing that Kakashi might not necessarily like us getting into."

"What do you mean? Kakashi-sensei is in the mission just as much as we are."

"Ah-ah, not really. He is just here to complete the mission, and we both know Kakashi. If the bare minimum works pretty well, why strive for excellence? You think you could ever catch up with your man by doing the least amount of work possible?"

The words were viciously barbed and aimed directly at what Sasuke wanted and needed most. It might have been a cruel method and Master Kyle might not have gone for it all that much, but at this point it was nothing more than what was required.

Sasuke snarled and glared at Naruto, though the blonde could somehow just tell that it wasn't aimed at him, at least not directly. No, the changes were already starting. He just needed to sure that they continued on the right path.

"Alright, Naruto. I see your point. Tomorrow, we will find out what Kakashi has in store for us, then we will start scouting the area out, alright?"

Naruto nodded and stepped back from the fence.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan. Good to see you are willing to work with me on this."

Sasuke smirked out of the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah, as long as you aren't being a moron."

Naruto winked at him, grinning at the barb.

"Aw come on, you know you love it baby." The look on Sasuke's face made it worth it, and he laughed wholeheartedly. "Go on man, get some sleep. We have a big day of conspiracies and taking down corporate empires tomorrow."

The raven haired youth shook his head in reluctant amusement and turned from him. Just before he opened the front door to enter, he turned to look over his shoulder.

"When are you going to explain to me what those metal things are? And where did the red one from earlier go?"

Naruto didn't answer him, instead just waving his hand at him offhandedly. Sasuke took it to mean that he would get answers later, and for right now that would suffice. He was exhausted from the fight after all, and there was no way in hell he was going to collapse in front of the Dobe after all.

When the boy closed the door behind him, Naruto laughed quietly one more time before activating his comm-link.

"HK, what is your situation?"

The reply took a moment to come through, and the words were somewhat garbled both from distance and some form of interference on the receiving end, though it cleared out easily enough when he boosted the signal strength.

"_**Acknowledgment: **I have managed to infiltrate the base of those two you told me to follow before. And am currently encamped just outside **Amused : **You are going to love this, Master. **Rhetoric : **Guess who their 'boss' is?"_

Naruto felt himself grin.

"Who?"

"_**Pleased Answer : **None other than Zabuza Momochi himself."_

"Oh wow, that is just perfect. Where are you now?"

"_**Report : **I just got finished planting some bugs around their base. Right now they are all resting in a 'secret' base hidden around the marshes surrounding the village. It is rather well concealed actually, commendable really. They are either expecting a lot of trouble, or extremely paranoid. Either way it works."_

"Had some trouble finding the place?"

"_**Sarcastic Response : **You wound me, Master!"_

"Oh whatever. Listen, we have reached Tazuna's house inside the village, and in the morning I am going to start on my plans. I think it is about time for you to start giving me all the information you managed to gather before you... met, our mutual friend with the parachute pants."

"**Answer : **Of course, Master. Well, from what I have been able to gather..."

An hour later, Naruto walked into the now quiet house with a strong sense of determination. He now had names, places, and dates. Both those of the enemy and the small but fast growing 'resistance' who had taken up arms in the village. Apparently a man by the name of Kaiza had planned out and tried to stage a coup against Gato and Co. but was captured and executed before he got anywhere. Brutally.

While the men and women of the remaining resistance had been discouraged, they had not given up hope and had simply been waiting for the right moment to begin acting again. When Master Bane had began making contact with them, he had given them the supplies and hope they needed to continue the struggle, though advised them to lay low until the time came.

It just so happened that that time was coming up soon. Naruto just had to make contact with the head of the rebellion and give them the last of the supplies, which Kyle was going to ship out in a day or two when everything was ready on their end. Nothing extravagant of course; they couldn't afford to have the transporters to be intercepted and lose potentially devastating tech. Just some med packs, adrenals, advanced melee weapons, and basic blasters that had been adjusted to mostly stun levels... for now.

The blond slipped into the bedroom that had been assigned to Sasuke and himself, after much debate apparently. Sakura refused to room with Naruto, and Kakashi had decided there was no way in hell Sakura was going to be allowed access to the object of her obsession while he was asleep, so that left only one option. Him and Sasuke in one room, Kakashi and Sakura in the other. The girl still hadn't been entirely pleased, but there was no way the three males were going to allow themselves to be forced into sharing a room, so Sakura had no choice but to bite the bullet and go with it.

Despite everything though, Naruto felt nothing but optimism for what the future held. Things were finally starting to quicken up and for some reason, the cold streak inside him was, for the first time, …content?

**'Keep up the good work, Host. Show them why we were once feared, and return these humans to their rightful places. On the ground at our feet.'**

The voice was nothing but a whisper in the far corners of his mind, but in the silence of the room, he heard it clear as day. The Kyuubi... Mikhail... was pleased. The thought stayed with him until sleep claimed him, satisfying and dreamless. He awoke the next day refreshed and ready for anything. Or so he thought...

* * *

_A/N : _Well, there you are. I am actually rather ashamed by how long this chapter took for me to get out. It's not like it even takes me that long to invent and type, hell the whole progress only took me two days even _with_ a ton of crap going on at the same time. Still, I hope you forgive me with the promise that the next chapter won't take nearly as long.

On another note, the plot thickens! Naruto is preparing to meet up with this mysterious group of scallywags known only as 'The Rebellion'. Sasuke is starting to warm up to Naruto and his plans for domination!... nah. I guess only time will tell. Kakashi is out cold from combat wounds and _minor_ Chakra exhaustion. He didn't fight as much in this fight than he had in canon, which means he won't be down for as long either. Good? Bad? I guess we will find out in the next exciting installment which **will **be out before Thanksgiving Day... hopefully.

Once more, a big thanks to everyone who takes the time to drop me a review or two. Every one is appreciated and makes for a lovely sacrifice to my Muse for her attention. Beats the hell out of sacrificing various junk food and random pop culture sources. I try to reply to every one I get, but sometimes one or two may slip through the cracks. If you feel you deserve some love in return, send me a virtual boot to the ass and I will hit you back. Always good to talk to the fans. You guys are what make this possible after all.

Stay Frosty...

- Nikolai


	10. Revelations

**Ch. 10 : Revelations**

_A/N : Another day, another chapter. Read and enjoy. As per usual, more at the bottom._

Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

* * *

Naruto awoke to the smell of frying rice and the sizzling of pork being thrown on a pan. With a glance at the watch he had taken to wearing, the boy rolled his eyes at the time and threw the light covering off of himself. He had meant to wake up early, around seven, but had ended up sleeping in.

_'I guess that fight took more out of me than I thought.'_

As though to voice their disapproval at the understatement, what seemed like every muscle in his body screamed in protest as he stood up. With a dry laugh and a quick set of stretches, Naruto eased his discomfort and joined his team downstairs.

Kakashi was seated at the head of the table, next to Tazuna who was drinking from a cup of coffee and reading a local newspaper. Sasuke had a plate of half-eaten toast before him and Sakura was across the table eating scrambled eggs and watching him intently.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty!"

The chipper lead of Team Seven was met with a noncommittal that caused Sasuke to look at him with an appraising eye. Despite his less than enthusiastic response, Tsunami smiled as she unloaded a small plate of eggs and pork in front of the boy.

"Here you go! I made a special breakfast just for the people who protected my father on his way home."

Kakashi just smiled behind his mask.

"Eh, it was no problem at all. It's what we have been paid to do, after all. Right, Tazuna-san?"

The old bridge builder noticeably paled at that, before smiling uncertainly and changing the subject.

"So, usually me and the rest of the guys meet up at the building site around nine. How are you guys planning on keeping us protected?"

The Jonin shrugged his shoulders and continued reading from his little orange book, ignoring the scathing looks being shot at him from Tsunami, Sakura, and surprisingly Sasuke.

"Well it will be at least three days before I am back to the level I need to be to fight again against someone of Zabuza's caliber. I was going to take the time to give Sasuke and Sakura some extra training and send Naruto with you to keep guard."

"The blond one right? Brilliant."

The raven haired lad wasn't exactly sure how he felt about the pleased look Tazuna had when Naruto nodded at the statement, not even bothering to swallow the mouthful of scrambled eggs. He settled for just snorting under his breath and finishing his breakfast as quickly as he could without looking like his blond teammate. Was it really that hard to have a little bit of self-pride?

Kakashi glanced up at the clock, then at Naruto.

"Well Naruto, it's almost nine now. I would suggest you hurry up and finish eating, then get your stuff together. It wouldn't do for you to be late after all."

The man laughed to himself softly at the look Naruto gave him, then went back to his book. At least, he tried to. Once more, his precious reading time was cut down with Sakura's questioning.

"Sensei, why isn't Naruto coming with us? Shouldn't he be getting training as well?"

"True he does need training, but what I am going to teach you and Sasuke, he wouldn't be able to do. It would just be a waste of time for me to train him in Chakra techniques with you two. I will give him more specialized training tomorrow, but today is your and Sasuke's time."

Sakura practically _beamed_ at the idea of getting to spend some 'alone' time with her Sasuke-kun, and the boy shot his teacher a death glare, causing Kakashi to grin like a maniac again.

_'I'm just getting all kinds of love today, aren't I?'_

"Naruto, do you think you are going to be able to manage to keep all of the builders safe today?"

"Oh yeah, no problem at all. Like you said last night, it is probably going to be at least a week before we have any trouble. I'm sure I can handle it."

"Alright, you other two. Finish eating and get your gear together. We're taking a walk into the woods."

**XxXxXxX**

Naruto was done and ready before Tazuna had finished his coffee.

"Alright, we're leaving!"

Tsunami stuck her head through the kitchen doorway and smiled brightly as Naruto and the old man left the house.

"Alright Dad, I'll try to bring you lunch in a couple of hours!"

Tazuna chuckled happily as he pulled the door closed behind him. Hefting a carpenter's belt and setting his shoulders, he led Naruto down the main street the way they had entered, returning to the bridge they had passed on the way to his home. By an odd stroke of luck the man lived on the opposite side of town from the site , so Naruto had the opportunity to ask him some questions about the village and some of the people in it.

"Eh, Tazuna-san. When exactly did Gato and his company start taking over the village?"

The bridge builder cast a nervous glance around at the mention of Gato's name, but it didn't stop him from answering.

"Well, he moved in at first about... oh I don't know, say about two or three years ago? From what I've been able to gather, the locals knew he had a weird feeling about him as soon as he started doing business in town though."

"If they knew he was bad, why did they let him stay and gain power?"

"Well it's not like they knew he was going to become a tyrant or anything! He started off as a normal, if greedy, business man. Bought a couple of warehouses here, started trading deals there. It wasn't until the bastard got a monopoly on the docks that we started really having problems."

Naruto caught the sight of a suspicious looking man rummaging through a dumpster and flash a victorious grin before running off into an alley. He ran right past another, slightly older man who was bundled up in a bunch of newspaper pages.

"What do you mean?"

The old man straightened his straw hat and glanced sadly back at the homeless man before standing straighter and with purpose.

"We're a bunch of islands, kid. You've only seen the biggest of them. With no bridges or natural land connections between them the only method of travel is by boat. If he controls the docks, he controls what goes in and out of the islands. The other islands might be smaller, but they all have independently vital resources."

"So why would that be a problem? I would think that all of the islands would be self-sufficient."

"Yeah, you would think that and normally you would be right. Unfortunately, each of these islands are afflicted by different ecosystems and environments. The island to the west of here is rich in fertilized soil. That is where we grow most of the fruit and vegetables for the entire country. The one on the east is rich in lush grass and hay. Perfect conditions for animal life. They have the majority of pigs, sheep, goats, cows, horses... the works."

Naruto nodded and continued taking in the sights of the city around them while listening to Tazuna. All of this was extremely important for him to learn, after all.

"And what about this island? You said it was the biggest?"

"Yup! While not great for livestock or plant life, it is mostly cleared out with sturdy ground of rock and hard dirt. Perfect for buildings and homes. It is also very rich in mineral deposits. Gold, silver, copper, iron are all present here, though not in totally abundant quantities. The few people in the village who call themselves experts about it claim that we have only dug up about two percent of what is available in our current mines. And we've been digging since this city was founded!"

"Oh really? Well that's convenient."

Tazuna laughed nervously and shot the kid a questioning look, but when no explanation was forthcoming, he continued with his narrative.

"Well with the minerals and foundations and stuff, it is obvious why we would choose to make this island in particular the one that most people chose to settle on."

"But wait, if this island is as rich in mineral ore as you say it is, why is the economy so bad? Metal is a precious resource, especially gold. Shouldn't you be selling the excess for a large profit?"

"In a perfect world, kid? Yeah, we should be. Again though, it all comes down to Gato. The only businesses who haven't been shut down or bought out yet are the mining and processing companies. Even then, that's only because they have locked themselves in the plants and mines and are being bull-headed enough to refuse Gato's demands and 'offers'."

The boy winced at the news.

"Yeah, I bet that must make him real happy, huh?"

His response was a bitter laugh and sharp words.

"You have no idea. There are a few people in town who think they should just give it up already, and that they are making it worse for everyone."

"And what do you think?"

Tazuna rubbed his eyes, betraying his fatigue. He looked as though he hadn't gotten much sleep last night, and Naruto was willing to bet that that wasn't far from the truth.

"I think they are doing the right thing. Those companies are the only thing stopping Gato from having absolute power in the entire country. They can't just roll over and give everything over to that tyrant. If they do, it's game over for all of Wave."

"You just wish their resistance didn't bring so much harm to the rest of the people here?"

The look he received was a little wary, but warming.

"Yeah... yeah, exactly. Hey, how do you know that?"

Naruto just shrugged and spread his arms wide, indicating the poverty and negativity around them.

"It's obvious, sir. These people are suffering, and you feel for them. I can sympathize, though I have never actually been in a position to do anything to change something like this before."

"But you are now?"

"As long as I have the support? Yes... yes I am."

For a moment there, Tazuna would have sworn that when he looked at the boy just then, for a split second, that he had a blazing fire around him. Glowing bright blue, but not harmful in any way. Just the proximity between them was enough for him to feel the very _warmth_ the boy exuded. When he looked at that young man before him with his strong body and passionate spirit, he would have sworn to the gods themselves that this boy was something special.

It was gone in an instant of course. He blinked in surprise and the vision was gone, but despite the hangover raging in his mind, he somehow _knew_ that it was real. He had hallucinated before, but this? This was something different.

"You know what kid? I'll be damned if I say this to anyone else, but I believe you. When... _if_ the time comes... you'll have me backing you. Okay? Of course, if you tell anyone I said that, I'll throw you off of my bridge the minute it's done."

Naruto laughed and shook the hand Tazuna offered.

"Heh heh, it's a deal Old man."

Said old man laughed back and slugged him in the shoulder with no small amount of force.

"Hey! Who you calling 'old', you young punk!"

The people on the street watched as bridge builder and ex-shinobi walked down the road together, side by side and laughing like old friends. If anyone had thought to ask the others on that street if they had seen something strange about the boy when they stopped and talked, that person would have admitted with no small amount of trepidation, that for a second? The boy was on fire.

**XxXxXxX**

**- With Team Seven : **Outside Tazuna's home ** -**

Sasuke was not pleased. Not pleased at all. Oh it hadn't started like that of course! Good breakfast, woke up at his own rate, was promised training for the day when he was done. Sounded like a all around acceptable day. But then Kakashi had really thrown his training method into effect.

He told you what you were learning, and he showed it to you once. Then he either left you to it, or threw rocks at your head. Sasuke was not pleased. What should have been a simple enough technique made him learn a little something extra today. Simple did not always equal easy. The Tree-Walking technique was driving him insane.

According to their 'Sensei', the larger a person's Chakra reserve, the less natural control that person would have over it. Brute force over finesse, as the case may be. That was why Sakura had taken to the training with an unexpected amount of ease, making it half-way up the tree simply on her first try. By the time he had gotten half that height, Sakura had already made it to the top and Kakashi was having her run up and down the tree to build up her reserves.

Because of his larger than normal reserves however, he seemed to be having a bit of trouble summoning and expelling _just_ the right amount of Chakra to stick to the tree without repelling himself from it violently. His lack of success would have been less humiliating without his fan club yelling at him from the tree branches above him. Wait, hang on a second. It had been a while since the last call, had she gotten bore-

"You can do it, Sasuke-kun!"

Nope, there it was.

...He was not pleased.

Kakashi sat on the branch across from the clearing so he could keep a close eye on his young students while they trained themselves into exhaustion. While he had figured that Sakura would succeed at the technique before Sasuke did, he was still rather surprised by how readily she took to it. With her abnormally small reserves, her control over herself was near perfect, even as untrained at it as she was.

"You almost made it that time, Sasuke-kun!"

That didn't make her any less annoying though.

The object of her affections apparently didn't like her attention any more than Kakashi did himself though, judging from the murderous glint in his eye as the boy attacked the tree with Chakra again. Either that, or he was doing his whole '_I-must-gain-power-to-destroy-Itachi' _thing again. One of the two.

Despite everything though, the Jonin had no doubt that Sasuke would get it down soon enough. The young Uchiha was simply to strong-willed to let such a minor technique evade him for long. His damned pride wouldn't allow it, even if his body did. Ironic really, he would have made his brother proud.

**XxXxXxX**

**- With Naruto **: Bridge **-**

He had to admit, while he was gaining a lot of important information from asking around the construction crew, he was having fun in the process. Sure there was the seriousness of the situation and the threat of death that hung in the air around the work site, but even then the men were making the most of it. Through the shouts of technical details, calls for supplies, and sounds of heavy equipment running, it was not uncommon to hear jokes and teasing insults being exchanged between workers just passing by.

"Hey Kinji, if you see Shiba tell him his sister was out on the bridge today helping us out in his place!"

"Yo, Hideki! I bet if you gave Hidekazu a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change!"

"Hey Naruto, I once had a friend who always used to say 'Love thy neighbor!', turns out he lived next to a brothel!"'

"Oh yeah? Did you hear about the kidnapping? He woke up."

"Hey, that's not bad, Kid!"

The guy laughed as he continued on his way. Once the workers had learned that Naruto had not only saved Tazuna (kinda) but that he was also one of the people who were going to cover their asses while they worked, they were quick to invite him to join the fun and games. Translated : Manual labor, but good company and all the ice water he could drink. Not a bad gig, beat being bored at least. Especially since it gave him the chance to ask around a bit more.

From what he could gather, while most of the people in the village were all neatly packed under Gato's thumb, there was a small pocket of resistance operating under the radar. Only the people directly engaged in the resistance knew of its existence, and it just so happened that most of the builders on the bridge construction site were either involved or waiting for the right moment to join. 'The right moment' being the moment the fighting starts. This was done mostly by the members who had family they needed to protect. Details would be provided to them only hours before to prevent suspicion being placed on them or their families.

Another thing that Naruto had found interesting was that the resistance was supposedly being funded by some mysterious figure outside the village. Rumors were circling that whoever it was lived in Konohagakure, but it hadn't been proved or discredited yet. Still, it would account for the aid they had been sent. All that was known about the support, from the people he asked, was that a member of the resistance was chosen to meet with an ambassador from the supplier. That person would drop off supplies, relay various orders or suggestions, and then disappear into the night. The only detail that recurred commonly enough to be given any consideration was that the person was supposed to have a really strange voice. One that sounded a lot like a machine.

"Hey Naruto! Any time you feel like paying attention would be good, I need those nails over here!"

Naruto grinned like a madman and ran to where Tazuna was waving.

"Heh, sorry. I guess I just zoned out there for a minute, huh?"

The professional builder took three of the nails Naruto offered and stuck two of them in his mouth, while hammering the last into place. His words were altered by the nails protruding from his lips.

"It looked like you were thinkin' pretty hard there, squirt. Not planning on taking over the world on my time are you?"

"The world? Nah man, I'm starting small."

Tazuna laughed at the response and took the next from its place.

"Well when you are the ruler of the universe, remember you're old friend for all your bridge building needs. A good overlord needs bridges after all!"

Naruto shook his head in amusement, both at the comment and the inside joke that he shared only with those closest to him. The old man was right, he would remember.

"Alright Naruto, I think that will do it. Thanks for your help over here. Why don't you go see what Kinji needs help with?"

He pointed to a burly man carrying a steel I-bean, and the boy nodded before taking off, leaving the nails behind. Giving only a brief moment to reflect on the young lad, Tazuna wiped the sweat from his brow. That kid was something special alright. A loud ringing bell broke the monotonous tones of construction work, and he grinned to himself. Lunch-time!

**XxXxXxX**

**- With Team Seven : **Outside Tazuna's home ** -**

"Alright, that's enough. You guys can take a break for lunch. I can't have you two dropping from exhaustion, can I?"

Though he would drop dead before saying it aloud, Sasuke couldn't help but think that perhaps, just _perhaps_, Kakashi's answer to that question would be a bit different if he asked him. Needless to say, he settled for a grunt.

With a certain lack of finesse that indicated fatigue, the boy grunted as he hit the ground and bent at the knees to absorb the shock of the blow. After a particularly nasty fall earlier on in the day, their Sensei had been generous enough to show him a more efficient way of hitting the ground. It mostly involved not landing on his shoulder, but the the bending to absorb the blow was good too.

Smug bastard.

"That's right! I can't, because then I would have to deal with a god-awful amount of paperwork that revolves around why one of my students decided it would be a good idea to worked until they threw up, and then kept working. Then I would have to evade the suspicions that would inevitably land on me as your instructor. After all, what am I supposed to say when they ask me why you didn't stop exercising to rest up properly?"

"Maybe that you didn't _let us_ rest up properly?"

Despite the words being muttered under his breath, Kakashi turned in his direction with that damned smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, what was that Sasuke?"

Sasuke grimaced and made up something on the spot. If this was his Sensei's idea of training, he didn't even want to _know_ what punishment was to him.

"I said I didn't prepare a lunch."

"Don't worry, I think your teammate has got you covered. Good job for being prepared, Sakura!"

Sure enough, Sakura was standing right behind him happily holding up two brown bags, one with her name on it, and the other with a big heart in bright pink. Lovely.

**XxXxXxX**

**- With HK-47 : ** Gato's headquarters**-**

HK adjusted his position on the roof he had chosen for his recon. While not the tallest around, it was still tall enough for him to have a clear view of the inside of Gato's base. More specifically, the one room that Zabuza and his subordinates had chosen for themselves. With the aid of a pair of electronic binoculars combined with a listening device, HK would be able to listen in on their conversations. It didn't take him long to get into an ideal pose, especially as comfort had no bearing on it at all.

Of course, now came the part that most people found to be tedious. The waiting. Oh sure, his favorite method of exterminating something or some_one_ was to kick their door open and blast them as the begged for their lives, but sometimes that simply wasn't efficient enough. There were times where he would, and had, need to lie low and wait for that single perfect opportunity. Too many plans by lesser assassins had been ruined simply by a lack of patience. Fortunately for him, HK had patience in spades thanks to his programming. That wasn't to say he didn't get bored though. With nothing but the sounds of the street far below him and the pointless arguments between Zabuza's subordinates to keep himself entertained, he soon found himself searching his memory banks for something to recount. One detail in particular stood out from only yesterday.

**XxXxXxX**

After the rather intense fight with Zabuza Momochi, HK had been looking forward to his efforts paying off. Before he could execute his Masters enemy as his programming dictated, his satisfaction had been stolen when that damned 'Hunter' had showed up. A quick stab in the neck with a set of accupunctural needles and the man had dropped like a sack of potatoes.

When he confronted the young figure about his interference, his audio sensors started going wild. They were lying to him. Such a foolish thing to do. Again though, before he could act on his 'instincts', his Master had stepped between them and whispered to him that Zabuza wasn't dead, only in a coma. His relief and pleasure wasn't daunted when the tall silver one had intervened and scared the young meatbag away by threatening to execute Zabuza. After all, if the man had some time to heal, he could fight him again. And next time, it would be to the death. Oh how he could hardly wait.

Amidst the minor celebration between his Master's 'team', and the bridge builder, HK had been ordered to leave the party and return to his prior assignment. The simple act of slipping to the back of the group and activating his stealth shield generator was all it took to ensure that his exit went unnoticed by the other humans.

When he finally got back to where he was after he got the call about his nemesis reappearing, HK wasn't entirely displeased to find that his prey had managed to depart while his attention had been elsewhere. A quick scan alerted him that there were no tracks to be found on the ground of the clearing, and he quickly started to get excited once more. Prey that didn't leave tracks? How exciting!

His elation elation ended in disappointment when he picked up the bare traces of dirt and disturbed twigs on a branch about half-way up a large oak tree. All sure signs that his targets had taken to leaping from branch to branch as an alternate method of travel. Strange, but if it was efficient than who was he to judge? Who knew what annuities this 'Chakra' provided?

With a command his vision switched to thermal, and he was able to pick up the residual heat left over from the two young men leaping from branch to branch. Using the tracks as a guide, HK was able to follow them to their leader. Imagine his surprise when the leader turned out to be none other than Zabuza himself.

After their staged disappearance, the Hunter had taken Zabuza to an unassuming patch of forest about two miles away from the combat site. When he finally caught up and was appropriately stealthed and spying on the situation, he watched the proceeding events.

"Hey Haku, what's wrong with Zabuza-san?"

Haku flicked an indecipherable glance at the speaker before turning back to Zabuza's lifeless body.

"Zabuza-sama started to lose, so I put him under and escaped."

"That Kakashi guy turned out to be stronger than he had expected, huh?"

Haku rolled out a mat with a variety of medic tools on it. After a quick expectation, a pair of tongs were selected.

"Kakashi was no problem and would have died had the fight not been interrupted."

"Something took out Zabuza-san, and it was harder than Kakashi?"

"Impossible, what could have possibly done that?"

"I-... I don't know."

The uncertainty in Haku's voice was enough for the Demon Brothers to glance at each other in worry. Haku was never worried about anything, always cold and calculating. Now though? They could have sworn they sensed fear in their friend's voice.

"Now will you two shut up? I need to remove Zabuza-sama's mask and make him spit up blood. I can't concentrate if you two are talking and I don't want to hurt him."

Judging by their reactions, HK guessed that not only had they seen her reaction to such a situation before, they also didn't want to repeat it. They shot each other a glance and silently backed a few feet away, giving her ample space to work. With a slow and steady hand, Haku leaned forward to remove the wrappings that covered Zabuza's face, before the tongs were jerked away.

"It's alright... I'll do it myself."

HK stared on in wonder as the 'dead man' simply batted away the offending instruments and lowered his own mask.

"Did you have to go for my neck? You are so harsh."

With three brutal yanks, Zabuza used his one good hand to remove the needles that were still protruding from the sides of his neck, two on the left and one on the right.

"I could say the same for you. If you pull them out that hard, you really will die. I can't fix _everything_, Zabuza-sama."

Zabuza only laughed humorlessly in response, as though doubting that such a thing could kill him.

"How long are you going to wear that bizarre mask? Take it off already!"

Haku didn't hesitate for a moment. A quick tug was all it took to break the wire that connected the wire at the back, releasing it from its bonds and revealing the pale skin that lay concealed underneath. Soft brown eyes and elegant eyebrows flashed at him, smiling softly with pale pink lips.

"It is a relic from the past, and has been useful for trickery."

"Yeah? Well it's still weird. It makes it look like you're a boy without it."

"Yeah, especially with those baggy robes you wear!"

"Maybe there's something about you we don't know."

"Something you want to tell us, Haku-chan?"

"Gozu, Meizu. Shut up."

The two demon brothers stopped talking immediately, killing the jokes made at Haku's expense. Sure they may tease the hell out of her sometimes, but she was still like a younger sister to them and they weren't about to hurt her feelings. Besides, Zabuza could get pretty rough over her. Who would have guessed?

"You know, Haku. Just because you had to knock me out didn't mean you had to aim for my neck. You know damn well that's the most painful place."

"Yes, and I also know that you are going to be numb for the next couple of days, which is for the best. I want you to heal up well before you start trying to move to early and hurt yourself any more than that red monster did." Her smile took on a mischievous hint. "Besides, I didn't want to mark up your immaculate body."

Her joking comment was thrown off by the worry in her voice. Now that Zabuza was out of the immediate danger brought on by the near-death state, she could focus on how much of a beating he had taken during the fight. Surveying the damage clear-minded for the first time, she only now started to realize how severe the damage to her Master's body really was. The severe laceration across the chest and pectoral muscles that would probably leave scar tissue, a dislocated arm that had somehow twisted badly, and a number of lesser cuts that covered his body made for a disconcerting sight. The bloodshot eyes and muscle soreness commonly associated with Chakra Exhaustion was also something she had really hoped not to see. As she had said, there were some things even she couldn't fix.

Zabuza watched her assessment with a appreciative nod. Her methods might not be the gentlest of the arts, but no one could question how effective they were. He could vouch for them personally. His voice lost some of its harshness, instead showing his pride for who she was.

"That's what I like about you, Haku. You're so innocent, smart, and untainted."

Haku smiled at the praise and blushed, before standing and turning her back to the man she had pledged to serve so long ago.

"I am still a child, after all."

"Yeah! You'll always be our Haku-imouto!

"Shut up, Gozu."

"Yes, sir."

Haku shook her head in amusement at her 'family', and examined the horizon. Just beyond the trees and down the path was the crystal water of the ocean. They were close enough to get Zabuza back to their base safely and without endangering his health too much.

"Zabuza-sama, the fog has lifted. I would suggest that we start moving and try to get back to the base before nightfall. We have a couple of hours though, so we should be able to make it easily even with your injuries."

Zabuza eyed her for a moment before nodding his assent. Haku turned to the Demon Brothers, and as one they both went to support him. Each took one of his arms and held it across their shoulders, holding him up enough so that he could do his best to walk with them. As humiliating as it was for one of the Seven Swordsmen to rely on his subordinates for help, he appreciated each and every one of them. He would have died without them, of that he had no doubt.

Unbeknownst to the group, one more had been added to their number as HK followed them discreetly, slipping between the shadows. Sure, the Stealth Field Generator was a sophisticated piece of equipment, but basic stealth techniques only amplified its ability. They would have no idea until it was far too late.

**XxXxXxX**

The trip to their base hadn't taken too long and was uneventful. With the exception of the location of their secret base and their employer's base of operation, they failed to discuss any major plans that gave away information that his Master might have found relevant, though he tucked away a few useful tidbits. Zabuza being afraid of mustard indeed...

Despite relating past events, HK-47 was paying strict attention to everything going on in the specific room of the corporate building. It was with no little excitement that he perked up when his preparations paid off sooner than he had expected them too. Not an hour after settling down for the long wait, Zabuza's disguised sidekick answered a knock on the door, and in walked none other than Gato himself.

Shorter than the terror associated with his name might imply, Gato stood no taller than five feet and three inches. The business man's hair was pointed back in a lackadaisical manner and his black suit hugged his pudgy frame. Round sunglasses covered his small, beady eyes and he had a vicious and greedy smirk. Behind him on both sides were two samurai-wannabees. Probably mercenaries working for the 'Suit'. HK watched in fascination as Gato addressed Zabuza, who was laid up in a bed with Haku sitting by his bedside tending to him. Gozu and Meizu weren't with them, instead HK had heard Zabuza order them to go back out into the village and find some work to do in order to bring in some more resources. Still, it seemed like they weren't going to need the help of the Demon Brothers, judging by how Haku was handling the situation.

**XxXxXxX**

"What is the meaning of this? Even _you_ got beaten and had to come back. And you call yourself a demon? Don't make me laugh. You are an embarrassment to everyone in your village if you are the strongest they can produce."

The Droid could barely believe the short man. He had the arrogance of someone twice as tall, and he didn't even have the means to back it up. It was most fortunate that he wasn't HK's employer. He might have had to terminate him.

When Zabuza failed to respond, Haku stood up in his place, which caused the two bodyguards to expose the blades of their swords without drawing them entirely. A sure sign of paranoia. They were expecting an attack.

"Hold on, wait a second. She isn't stupid enough to attack."

At their boss' command they put their swords away and watched as Gato walked right up the bed. From his angle, HK could clearly see the irritation and anger flickering across Haku's face as she tried her hardest to restrain herself. A valiant task that HK was wishing dearly that she would fail.

"Hey... no need to stay silent! Why won't you say something?"

The man reached out to pull back the blanket, and that seemed to be the last straw. With astounding speed that neither HK nor Gato had expected, Haku had reached out and grabbed Gat's wrist, squeezing it until the tycoon was almost screaming in pain. Something about breaking his wrist.

"Don't you _dare _touch Zabuza- with your filthy hands!"

No sooner had she grabbed him, the two guards drew their swords completely and moved to rescue their employer from the rightful fury of Zabuza's young protector. Again, in a flash Haku had circled around behind them and taken control of their swords, pointing the blade of them to each others throats, ready to kill them instantly.

"Now you guys are starting to piss me off."

It was then that HK decided he approve of her. Judging from the paleness of his face, Gato didn't agree.

"Listen up, you little bitch. If you lose again next time, you better not come back!"

No doubt he meant the threat, but it only seemed like a sad attempt to regain his lost pride before he left in an undignified exit, leaving Haku and Zabuza alone in the room.

"You know that was unnecessary."

Haku smiled as she saw the blade Zabuza had kept tucked under the blanket with him.

"Yes, I know. But we are going to have to be careful. The minute we act out against Gato, the Hunter teams will be all over us, and then we will have to be on the run again. For now we are going to have to just deal with it."

Zabuza gave a weak laugh and shifted his back, readjusting himself on the blanket.

"I know. I'm supposed to be the leader here, and here you are treating me like a child."

Haku laughed softly, happy with the lack of anger or frustration in his voice.

"Only when you act like it, Zabuza-sama."

Even though he stopped talking and his breathing slowed, Haku stayed with him for a while longer just watching him sleep. Even asleep and badly injured, he looked so powerful. But even the strongest of people needed weapons, and that was what she would. She would serve until she could serve no longer. That was her place in life. And for right now, she was content.

**XxXxXxX**

When Haku finally left the room and pulled the door shut behind her, night had fallen and lights had come on all across the small-scale city. HK packed up his recon gear, but left the waterproof cases on the roof. It was an excellent position, and they were probably going to be in the same place for a few more days, so he decided to return to the same rooftop the next day, and however many after that that was necessary.

Once he was satisfied that no one was going to accidentally stumble across his little stash of spy-toys, he activated his Stealth Field Generator and dropped down to the city street below. The muffled impact was heard only by a single homeless drunk, who look around in bewilderment for a moment before laying his head back down and going to sleep, muttering about space ninjas or some such nonsense. With a full days of recon under his belt to offer to his Master, the Droid returned to the home Naruto and his team was staying through the duration of their mission. He just had a single pitt-stop to make along the way.

A few blocks before Tazuna's family home, HK ducked into a deserted alley and opened the comm link to the main base back in Konoha.

"**Greeting : **Come in, is there anyone there?"

Static crackled for a moment before being replaced with a man's voice.

"This is Bane, what is it HK?"

"**Response : **I found some interesting information that you might want to know while performing reconnaissance for the young Master."

"And? Have you told him this yet?"

"**Answer : **No, Master. I was on my way to, but I felt I should alert you first in case any of your plans have changed."

Bane sighed on the other end of the link.

"Well what is so important that you would call me for?"

"**Report : **The one who intercepted me on my most recent endeavor, Zabuza Momochi. He is working with Gato and fought with Master Naruto's team. He needed me to intervene and fight in his stead, though I feel that might have just been solely for my own personal satisfaction."

"And what are your feelings on the matter?"

"**Opinion : **I think he is a good master, and I enjoy serving him."

"Not him, you moron. I meant what changes do you think Zabuza working for Gato is going to bring?"

"**Reluctant Admittance : **I'm... not sure."

"Then until you are certain that these events will change the most important details of your mission, you will not contact me until the mission is complete. If you do, I will expect circumstances do be dire, do you understand me?"

"**Acknowledgment : **Yes, Master."

"Then do your job."

The link went dead, and HK was left with the sound of the night and crime. Master Bane was right, he was probably just over thinking it. Despite his self-assurances, he couldn't help but think that he was forgetting some tiny detail that was out of place. Still, it was probably nothing.

**XxXxXxX**

**- With Naruto **: Bridge **-**

"Alright guys, that's enough for today. We made a lot of progress, and things are finally looking up for Wave! Now let's call it quits for the night and we'll meet back here at the same time tomorrow."

The gathering of construction workers and volunteers cheered in exhaustion and satisfaction of a job well done. With the lazy flurry of putting the important things away, covering up the heavier stuff, and gathering together their own personal items, each of the men divided into groups to return to their homes and get a good night's sleep. After a hot shower of course.

Naruto and Tazuna were two of the last ones to leave. The old man had taken it upon himself to see every man under his command off safely, so Naruto took the opportunity to survey the progress they had made. The bridge had been extended at least another three hundred feet. An impressive feat that he hoped would be duplicated the next day.

"Oi, Naruto. You ready to go?"

"Yes, sir."

The boy ran to catch up with the old man, who had already started off on the road that led to his home.

"Then hurry up, I could do with some food. My stomach thinks my throat's been cut."

Naruto laughed and fell into step alongside Tazuna. Neither really spoke on the way home, instead they just reveled in the feeling of satisfaction. Though most of their trip was spent in quiet reflection and was largely inconsequential, something odd did happen. About half way to their destination, they were approached by a rough-looking, hooded man who was looking around anxiously. When Tazuna greeted him, the man shook his head and jerked his thumb towards a dark and abandoned alley. He only looked satisfied when the old man nodded and followed him into the shadows. Once there, the man dropped his hood.

"Tazuna-san, the herald says to prepare, for our time draws near."

The old man's face was alight with dawning excitement and apprehension at the same time.

"Are you sure? Are we even ready? There is still much we need to do and we hardly have enough people on our side to do what must be done."

The messenger glanced back and forth, as though afraid to be overheard, and nodded.

"He says that the one to bring us our victory is already in our midst, and is making the final preparations as we speak!"

The worry Tazuna portrayed disappeared, replaced with a rekindled hope.

"Finally, we are so close to being free from that bastard's rule again! Did he say when this person was going to announce himself to the rebellion?"

"No, only that he would do it when he felt it was time. Until then he will remain undercover and continue to make the final preparations."

"Alright, very well. Thank you for bringing me this message. I know how risky it is for you and your family."

The man stood taller and nodded proudly, though the pain in his face was still obvious as he no doubt thought about whatever family he had waiting for him.

"Yes, it is. But they aren't safe as long as Gato sits on his throne of suffering. The day he is cast down is the day my daughter can grow up safely."

Tazuna took a step forward and placed his hand on the man's shoulder, smiling.

"Words we should all remember, friend. Don't worry, that day is closer than any of us could have hoped. Just stay strong until then, it will be over soon."

That was the last verbal exchange and after a quick handshake, the man had left to return from wherever he had come from. Like his mysterious friend, the aged builder looked around before leaving the dark alley and continuing on his way with Naruto tagging behind.

"Hey Mr. Tazuna, what was that?"

The old man glanced at him like he had forgotten that he was standing there, lost in his thoughts no doubt.

"That? Well... You've probably noticed that the majority of Wave have just given up. They aren't doing anything to fix their situation, instead being content to sit and suffer. That isn't an option for some of us. The rest of the people in this village, mostly younger men and those with families that need protecting, are doing what we can to overthrow Gato."

Naruto saw where this was going, but decided to play along in the hopes of gleaming some extra information that his Masters hadn't told him.

"I see, but Gato has practically unlimited funding and a supposed army of mercenaries supporting him, as well as those ninjas we saw on the way up here."

"I know the situation might seem really bad, but there's an upside. By some miracle we, the rebellion, got a message from someone outside of this village. They said that they have the supplies to help us reclaim our heritage, provided we follow their instructions."

"And they are?"

"Well so far they have been pretty simple. Recruit more people to our cause, meet with someone he sends to relay orders to us as well as drop off supplies. Medical equipment and food mostly, though their have been hints that in the next couple of days a big shipment is supposed to come in with exactly what we will need to take the fight to Gato once and for all."

Naruto nodded, wondering what that last shipment was going to be. Neither Bane nor Kyle had mentioned anything to him about it. And who was this messenger?

"You mentioned a messenger, this 'herald', who is he?"

Tazuna shrugged.

"No one knows, not even the people ordered to meet him. He never calls for the same person twice, and everyone that has met with him give the same details. Long black coat, dark hood, strange mechanical voice, and..."

"And?"

"And glowing yellow eyes. Plus the herald is said to be attracted to violence, as though he is looking forward to the fighting during the uprising. It has been a concern for some of us, but as long as he is on our side I don't see what we have to be worried about."

Naruto had to actively hide his surprise behind a laugh of agreement. Was it possible that HK-47 had been the herald this whole time, and never told him? He was definitely going to have words with the Droid when they got back to Tazuna's house. For some reason, the thought of his second concealing anything from him, even on the orders of his Masters, caused his temper to spike. Strange.

"And what do you think? Are you guys ready to fight?"

Tazuna removed his hat and drug a hand through his hair, accompanied with a grunt.

"To be honest lad, I'm not really sure. It's not like we have a choice of course, but none of us are fighters. We've never really had to train a militia for anything since all the businesses here would hire their own defenses. Still, we are ready to do what we need to when the time comes. For our children, we have to."

Naruto wasn't exactly sure what to say to that. The conviction in the man's voice was all it took to assure him that he wasn't lying. Then and there the young Force user swore to himself that he would do whatever it took to free these people from Gato, even if he had to stay behind after his own team left to return to Konoha. One way or another, these people would be happy again.

The rest of their trip back to Tazuna's home was spent in quiet reflection, both having their own thoughts as eerily similar as they might be. Tazuna was worrying about the future and making plans on who to contact with the news, and Naruto was making a list of questions he was going to ask HK-47. Most importantly, why he hadn't told him what he had been doing in Wave.

**XxXxXxX**

Team Seven's training seemed to have ended before their work on the bridge, as Sasuke and Sakura was both sitting at the table eating everything within arms reach. Whatever Kakashi had them working on, it must have been tough. Naruto had never seen the Uchiha as enthusiastic as he was about that fried rice.

"Hey Tsunami, we're home!"

"Alright, dinner's ready so go ahead and have a seat, I'll be down in a minute!"

The young woman's voice came from the upstairs bedroom that Kakashi rested in, so it was likely she was helping Kakashi eat. An act both Sasuke and Sakura would agree was entirely unnecessary. The two only spared a quick glance to their returning teammate, opting instead to continue to satiate their aching hunger.

Dinner was a quick affair, though after the team's rush had calmed down they shared the details of their day with quiet 'hnns' of agreement from Sasuke. After a good round of laughs, the four separated for the night, though Naruto stopped Sasuke before he went up to their shared bedroom. HE doubted the boy would still be awake by the time he got through with HK, and he wanted to say it before he forgot in the chaos of what was to come.

"Sasuke, when we get back to Konoha... we need to talk."

"About what, Dobe?"

"A lot of things. Mostly Konoha."

Sasuke shot Naruto a appraising look before nodding slowly. That was the entire conversation, and Sasuke closed the door behind him when he went into the bedroom. That was Sasuke taken care of, for now at least. Now for HK-47. He wasn't looking forward to this.

With Tsunami and Sakura doing dishes and tidying up after dinner, Sasuke already retired for the night, Kakashi laid up upstairs, and Tazuna doing... whatever it was he did, Naruto found it easy to slip out of the house without being noticed. With a secluded destination already in mind, Naruto took off for the dense forest close to the village. With no one around for miles and the sound muffled by the layers of trees and foliage, it was a great place to be in case the conversation got... loud.

**XxXxXxX**

Nodding in satisfaction at the location he had picked out, Naruto kicked his comm link into action and signaled to HK.

"HK, are you there?"

"_**Answer : **Yes, Master."_

"Trace the location of this signature and report here immediately. I want to talk to you."

"_**Affirmative : **Yes, Master. I will be there momentarily."_

With the Droid on his way, Naruto took the moment to relax. He hadn't been able to just stop and take a deep breath since the mission began, and he needed it more than he had realized. Slipping into the Force trance that was becoming steadily easier, Naruto tapped into the life energy and enjoyed the feeling of peace that came with it. Though it didn't last for long before he felt the Droid's energy signature fast approaching, the peace and quiet did wonders for his frayed nerves.

"**Query : **Is there someone you need killed, Master? The annoying pink one, perhaps?"

"No, not right now. I just had some questions."

"**Excitement : **Ah, so you wish to conduct an interrogation? Excellent. Do not restrain yourself Master. Pain is the only way to extract information, or so I see it."

"Look, when I say I want to ask you some questions, it means I am going to do it without torturing you."

"**Resignation : ***Sigh* Very well, Master."

"Good, now why don't you explain to me why you thought it was a good idea to hide the fact that you have been giving the rebellion orders?"

"**Surprised Response : **Uhm... err... How did you find out about that, Master?"

"I asked around, and there has been a messenger from Master Bane or Kyle that refers to himself as the 'herald'. Now I'll ask you again. Why did you hide that from me?"

"**Answer : **Well... Master Bane ordered me to hide it from you until you found out yourself. When you did, I was to give you all the information I had about the situation here, as well as call for the last batch of supplies to be dropped off. **Excuse : **It was his order, you see!"

"You know what? I don't care. From now on you will listen to Bane's orders and follow them through _unless _they counteract with mine. You serve me now Droid, not both of us. Do you understand me?"

A small part of Naruto's mind, the part some called 'self-preservation' was going nuts. Screaming that he was an idiot for saying those things to a highly efficient killing machine. As well as one that belonged to the man who had taken him in and given him things he had almost given up dreaming for. But while those thoughts were raging, another part of him was calm and steady. A darker place that told him to stand his ground and to make the Droid fall at his feet, just like all others who would come to stand before him. With that voice came a flash of an image, of a tattered cloak, gnarled hands and a yellow smile. Despite knowing the danger that lay behind that voice, Naruto had no intentions of drowning it out. At least, not yet. Right now he was welcoming his inner darkness.

"**Proud Acknowledgment : **Yes, Master. I am yours alone to command. **Admittance : **You make me proud to serve."

"Remember that, the next time you think to betray me. Now, what supplies were going to be delivered once I approached you?"

"**Recitation : **The supplies included a large number of suits of combat armor and vibroswords. Also, some stimulants were to be added along with them to give the rebellion the edge they might and most probably will need during the fighting."

"Alright. You will send word for the supplies to be delivered, When they are, you will distribute them to the rebellion in whatever way you already had planned. While you do that, inform them that they are to wait until they get the signal, and then they are to start the attack on Gato's fortress."

"**Affirmative : **Yes Master. **Query : **Is there anything else you are going to require from the Base?"

Naruto thought about it for a moment, then grinned cruelly.

"Yeah, bring Alpha and Omega with you. I think they would want to be a part of this."

HK's eyes lit up with excitement and he nodded before taking off into the night, eager to start the slaughter that was to come. It had been _far_ too long since he had killed, and he missed it so.

Naruto meanwhile, watched his companion go, leaving him in the silent darkness of the forest. While examining his environment, he noticed that it was the perfect place to practice on his meditation for a little while. He had some things he wanted to think about after all.

As he sank into the trance of life, he heard a now-familiar voice laughing.

"_Ah, and so the prodigious student returns."_

* * *

_A/N : _Well, as promised here is Chapter Ten. Well before Thanksgiving as well, I surprise even myself! Things are starting to heat up for the situation in Wave. The rebels are getting ready and HK is getting restless, which is never a good thing.

As many of you have noticed, Naruto is starting to exhibit signs of a lurking darkness within himself. Is this only the influence of the pure dark energy that is the Kyuubi? Or is it something more sinister that lies in Naruto's heart himself? Only time will reveal these truths. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this latest installment and please, don't be a stranger.

Shout-out to my Beta-Reader PheonixMasterOfTheSevenSwords. I appreciate your help, D-bag!

Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai Carpathia


	11. Preparations

**Ch. 11 : Preparations**

_A/N : A chat with the Kyuubi, a mysterious reunion, and making ready for war._

Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

"_Ah, and so the prodigious student returns."_

This trip took Naruto much less time to reach the beast's domain. Rather than wandering around the carnival grounds for a while like before, he arrived only half a mile away. With purpose behind his strides it took him only minutes to reach the barker's unnatural freak show.

The flare in the boy's eye spoke volumes of his irritation. Even standing before the mighty 'Demon Fox', Naruto's anger would not be swayed.

"Cut the crap, Mikhail. What the hell is going on? What are you doing to me?"

A flash of something ran behind the insidious man's eyes that should have warned Naruto that something was wrong. Unfortunately it didn't penetrate the haze of anger coursing through the boy, and he continued his rant.

"Something's happening to me, and I know you are the cause of it! I have been getting angrier faster. I have been lashing out at those who serve me. I have even threatened my own team, as annoying as they can be!"

While he could have silenced the boy at any time, Mikhail allowed the boy to rave. Let him dig his own grave deeper, if he must. Besides, the demon was taking a great deal of amusement from the ignorance Naruto was showing to the black storm clouds floating in from behind him, sinking their twisted world into farther darkness.

"I don't care how powerful you think you are! I am not going to just stand idly by while you twist and manipulate my mind! You don't even offer any explanation, you just stand their on your damned pedestal"

Sure the boy might have a point, but he was starting to piss him off. He would be wise to-...

"You're pathetic! Trapped in here unable to do anything, and you still think yourself so high and mighty! I bet you-"

"**ENOUGH!"**

In a flash the anger and confidence Naruto had been feeling all just drained away as though the bottom of his stomach had been torn away entirely. For the first time since his last arrival the thought struck him that he was standing before possibly the strongest being in existence, trapped or not. Another, entirely unwelcome thought followed it. He had pissed said being off.

"**You had best watch yourself, **_**boy**_**. I may be trapped in your pathetic mind, but I **_**will **_**be shown the respect I deserve, or I will destroy you."**

He wasn't shouting, but the icy tone he was using almost made Naruto wish that he was. To emphasize his point, Mikhail had stepped away from his usual place and was slowly approaching the terrified human. As he advanced, the weeds and plant-life at his feet shriveled and died from the toxic energy that was emanating from the beast.

"**You think you are safe from me while I am trapped here? I have more power over you than you would care to believe. At any moment since your birth I could have killed you. With a mere _thought_, I can flood your body with enough Dark Energy to poison a village."**

Naruto had began backing away from the malicious entity, but each step backward was matched by a step forward, slowly closing the distance between them despite his best efforts.

"**I could then take control of your vile corpse and destroy _everything_ you hold dear."**

Mikhail caught the rebellious glint and grinned cruelly.

"**You think me wrong? That you have nothing worth destroying? How sad. What about the old man and his precious daughter? What about your old school teacher that cares oh so much for you? Oh, and did I forget the old man who has cared for you through your childhood?"**

Alongside the terror striking at the boy was a crippling sense of guilt. There was no deceit on the demon's behalf. Why would there be?

"**The only reason I have refrained from cutting you down and possessing you like every other host I have had is because you have potential. Your strength is one that I have never seen rivaled, but even that will not protect you should you anger me again. Do you understand me?"**

Unable to even stammer out a response, Mikhail took the boy's nodding as an affirmative. Instantly the cloud of judgment faded and Naruto was able to breath again.

"**Wonderful! I'm glad we were able to have this little chat. Someday you may grow powerful enough to challenge me, but until then you play by _my_ rules. Now..."**

The gnarled man drew up a chair and sat down in it backwards, the back facing Naruto.

"**...what can I do for you?"**

If possible, the abrupt change in attitude served to unnerve the boy even more.

"I-I wanted to know what you were doing to my mind..."

After the exhibition of such brutal power, Naruto couldn't seem to conjure up the indignation that had led him here in the first place. Admittedly, he wasn't exactly giving it a valiant effort, but that wasn't the point. Surprisingly, the being before him only shrugged his shoulders, sending ripples through his cloak.

"**That is a thought I have been giving attention to for some time now, actually. My best guess is that since you have started utilizing the abilities I gifted you upon our union, it has opened the flood gates between my energy and your own."**

"So it is your fault! N-not that that's a problem or anything!"

Seeing the warning glance Mikhail shot him, Naruto was quick to amend his accusation.

"**Yes, I suppose if you were to put it that bluntly, it would not be untrue. If it continues at this rate, our energies will infuse completely, and become one."**

"You mean we will become the same person!"

The shudder that ran through the powerful beast would have been comical, had it not been an vague insult.

"**Ugh, don't even _go_ there! I hate to imagine myself becoming the same as you."**

"Hey! What's wrong with me!"

Mikhail ignored that.

"**While not a completely outlandish thing to assume, you are wrong. While we will share the same energies, it won't define us as a single being. My power will mix with yours and vice versa. Eventually they will mingle so effectively, they become the same shade."**

"You mean like the red and blue of the force?"

"**Exactly. It will look the same and we can use each other's power, but it won't be the same,"**

"Okay, well that's a relief... I suppose."

"**You suppose?"**

Naruto was obviously troubled by the thought, but he was having trouble putting it to words.

"Your energy is going to mix with mine."

"**Right."**

"And you're evil?"

"**What did I tell you about evil?"**

"Right, right. But you know what I mean! You're... meaner... than I am."

"**As of lately? Not really, but I know what you mean."**

"Well if it keeps going like you say it probably will, does that mean I am only going to keep getting darker?"

The old man sighed at this. He had foreseen this conversation coming, but he had been desperately hoping for more time to prepare. His opinion was biased on this subject, but he couldn't very well lie to the boy and risk alienating him. His plans required that the boy actively sought his guidance.

"**To an extent. Just as we will never become exactly alike, you will only become as dark as I am if you choose to. You will only ever travel as far down that road as you allow yourself to."**

"Yeah, but how do I know how far I want to go? I don't know if I'm ready to be like you or even Bane!"

"**I... I don't know. This is something you are going to have to figure out on your own. Ask others for advice, if you must, but I can only give you advice on the Dark Side. The side of power."**

At the look of disappointment, Mikhail rubbed his face in frustration. The damn kid was a bad influence on him.

"**Look, being dark aligned doesn't mean you have to choice _but_ to be bad, alright? Your Master understands this better than any human I have ever known. Ask him about it sometime, and maybe you won't feel as strongly as you do."**

"Right... I think I might. But hey, you know what that means?"

For some reason, he didn't like the smile on the kid's face.

"**What?"**

"If you can be a bad influence on me, that means I can be a... good influence on you!"

For the first time since the day all life was wiped out in an instant, the mightiest of the Bijuu wept.

**XxXxXxX**

After the equivalent of a few hours intensive training, Naruto returned to the mortal world. When they had finally finished their discussion, Mikhail had decided to train Naruto to be more fluent in the use of the Spear of Midnight Black, a technique that the boy hadn't used since his demonstration.

The Demon lord had him not only practicing to conjure it faster, but also to use it in combat fluently. Now instead of only being able to throw it at the enemy like a projectile, Naruto had enough training to use it as a melee weapon for more versatility. As long as his opponent wasn't too well trained in their own weapons of course.

When he came to, he was surprised to notice a few changes in his situation. It was daylight as opposed to the night sky he had zoned out while watching. Morning specifically, judging from the sunrise. Then there were his damp clothes, probably from the dew through the night and morning. Finally was the most important. He was not alone. Not too far from where he was standing, a young girl was picking at plants, unaware of his presence.

"Excuse me! What time is it?"

The girl looked up, startled, and seemed pretty surprised to see another person this far out into the forest. Her soft pink robes fluttered in the brisk breeze and her long black hair fell down her back in beautiful waves.

"Umm, it's still really early, I think. Why? How long have you been out here?"

Naruto laughed and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, then picked up his jacket and shook out the moisture clinging stubbornly to the sides.

"All night, apparently. I must have fallen asleep."

"You know, that's probably not good for you. Sleeping out all night like that? You can get sick."

"Sick? Me? Nah, it'll take a little more than some cool air and moisture to knock me out of the game. Thanks for the concern though. If you don't mind me asking, why are _you_ out this far into the forest? I didn't think anyone came out here."

The girl turned from him shyly and continued to pick the herbs that she needed.

"I usually don't, but there are some herbs out here that don't grow anywhere else on this island, so I don't have much of a choice. Besides, like you said people don't usually come out here so it's good to have a peaceful moment to yourself."

Naruto laughed quietly and in agreement.

"True enough. So do you need a hand picking some of those herbs? I don't know too much about plants, but I'm good with my hands."

The girl hesitated for a moment, one hand going to rest on her opposite wrist as though toying with something. Still, she smiled happily and nodded. For one breathtaking moment, Naruto was shocked by how beautiful she was in the breaking light.

"Alright, I would like the company. Thank you."

She showed Naruto the specific herbs she was looking for, and they continued slowly through the forest, enjoying the sounds and company. Occasionally Naruto would point out a plant and ask the girl what it was and what it could be used for, and she would surprise him with her botanical knowledge.

"So what are you doing out here this early in the morning? Surely you didn't _sleep_ here."

Th blond shifted back onto the balls of his feet and pressed his knees into the soft earth, balancing himself while he looked up at the clear blue sky.

"I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I guess I did. I was working on some things last night, and I must have dozed off."

"It must have been some pretty hard training for you to fall asleep."

"I guess you could say that, but it's not so much training as it is meditation."

"Meditating? I didn't know ninjas meditated. Don't you usually just strengthen your body and practice shooting fireballs and stuff?"

Again, Naruto laughed as he shifted his weight so he could look at his companion without falling over.

"Normal ninjas do, yeah."

"But you aren't a normal ninja?"

"I'm not normal at all."

"Why is that? You look normal to me."

"It's..." Naruto sighed and rubbed his eyes. "It's complicated. I'm just not like most people."

"And that difference makes you weak?"

He looked up at her in surprise and confusion. The question caught him off guard enough that he grabbed a plant without looking and a large thorn embedded itself in his palm, making him hiss.

"Weak? What are you talking about? Do I look weak?"

The girl laughed into her sleeve, accentuating her beauty and allure. She knelt down next to the boy and carefully drew the thorn out, making sure not to do more damage to the tissue around it. From a pouch in her robes she drew a small container of ointment and rubbed a bit onto the cut. Naruto was pleased with the numbing sensation that worked over the sore area, and allowed his natural healing rate to take over from there.

"Well a normal person doesn't train himself to the point of falling asleep in the forest. Neither do really strong ninjas, as far as I know."

Naruto laughed again and stood up, stretching out the kinks in his back.

"Well you have a point there, but just because I train and work hard doesn't necessarily mean that I'm weak. It just means that I am serious about training and that I want to be stronger."

"But you look pretty strong already, why do you train as hard as you do?"

The boy glanced at her with a fire in his eyes and a confident smile.

"Because I have things I need to do that are impossible at the strength I am now. If I want to help people and change the world, I need to be stronger or it won't last."

"You're going to change the world, huh? And are you doing that for yourself or for someone else?"

He looked taken aback by the question, one he definitely wasn't expecting.

"Well, I guess in some ways it is pretty selfish, I'll admit. But mostly it is for other people. I can do things to help people that they can't do themselves, so it is my responsibility to do everything I can, right?"

The girl stood up and turned to face the same direction as him, staring up at the sky as well.

"That's all well and good, and you may very well become quite powerful. But if you want to become truly strong, you need to fight for someone other than yourself. Someone you care for _more_ than yourself, and would be willing to give everything for their safety and happiness. That is how you get strong."

"I think you and one of my Masters would get along really well. He told me the same thing a few months ago."

The girl smiled happily.

"Then your Master must be really strong!"

Naruto looked down sadly and shrugged his shoulders.

"He is, but it still wasn't enough to save all the people he cared for. What happens when all your strength isn't enough? Then what?"

The girl could only stand there, shocked. She had never thought of that before, and Naruto could sense it. He leaned against a tall tree and crossed his arms, not taking his eyes from the girl's. Soft brown met unyielding blue, and she felt her breath catch in her throat.

"It is still a good ideal to follow and one that I plan to adhere to. I just need to find someone like that, huh? What about you? You sound like you speak from experience."

"Yup, I have someone I care about a lot! He means more to me than I can ever explain."

"And is he who these herbs are for? He must have gotten pretty badly hurt recently to need this many of them."

The girl frowned at the comment. Was it possible he had caught on to who she was? She had been careful not to give anything away, but she might have let something slip. She was enjoying his company but if he knew who she was, she was going to have to take him out. She wasn't about to allow her Master to come into any danger while he was still injured.

"Well he did get hurt, but he is really tough so I'm sure he will be fine. The rest of these herbs I'm going to make into poultices and save for later. You never know when you might need them after all."

"Good point. Well, make sure you tell him to take it easy on his arm okay? A dislocation that bad can lead to really serious complications if he rushes the healing process."

Almost before he had finished speaking, the girl was moving. Her aim with the deadly senbon was perfect and would no doubt have incapacitated him before he could even defend himself... Had they left her hand. Haku found herself completely immobile and defenseless, and all the kid had done was lifted a hand! Amazing, but terrifying.

"Fine, you've caught me but it will do you no good. Zabuza-sama will never negotiate for my release, so you have nothing to gain. I am his tool, nothing more."

Naruto almost laughed in his disapproval.

"And this is the man you fight for? The man who means more to you than your own life? It sounds to me like he is nothing but a bastard, and doesn't deserve you."

Her outrage at the statement almost overpowered his Force Grip, but he channeled more power into it, and she was forced to give up her struggles. It was only tiring her out, and wasn't aiding her situation any.

"Don't you call him that again! He saved my life and gave me a home, it is only right that I serve him!"

"So by saving your life, he owns it? Is that how it works? I could kill you now, but I'm not going to. Does that mean you are going to follow me around too? Of course not!"

Naruto released his technique and allowed her to fall to her knees.

"Your life is just that, yours.Regardless of what other people might say, they can't take that from you. If he really sees you the way you do, then I would suggest you rethink your attachments. The worst possible person to dedicate your life to, is one who doesn't care if you live or die. Trust me on that one"

Without sparing her a second glance, Naruto turned from her and walked away in the direction of Tazuna's house. He walked for a few seconds, then hesitated. Without turning he addressed her over his shoulder.

"One more thing. I would suggest you talk to Zabuza about your career plans. There is a storm coming that is bigger than he knows and if you aren't careful... you might be swept away. If you aren't going to help me with my plans, then stay out of my way."

With everything said, he continued on his way and left her alone in the forest. She sat silently for a few minutes thinking about everything, then started picking up the herbs that had fallen out of her overturned basket. In the silent solitude, no one was there to comment on the tears sliding from her eyes.

**XxXxXxX**

"Hey Kakashi-sensei, where's Naruto? I didn't hear him come in last night and he wasn't in his room when I got up."

"Same here. I guess he just stayed out all night doing... whatever it is he does."

Sasuke continued eating while his teammate and leader talked. He didn't feel any compelling desire to tell them what Naruto had told him last night, nor that he had taken off into the woods afterward. The dobe would be alright, he had no doubt about that. That didn't make him any less of an idiot though.

"Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry about being out all night, I guess I just fell asleep."

"Naruto! You had us worried sick! What's wrong with you, staying out all night like that! You could have been attacked by Zabuza's little buddy! You could have been mauled by wild animals and we would never have known!"

"Aw Sakura, I didn't know you cared!"

The comment was followed by laughter not only from him, but the other two males on the team as well. Sakura tried to make a comment or insult, but couldn't think of anything so she settled for huffing into her seat and continuing with her breakfast.

"So Naruto, what were you doing out in the forest all night?"

Naruto shrugged noncommittally and sat down happily when Tsunami brought him a heaping plate of food. Fresh pork, eggs, rice, everything he could have possibly asked for. For some reason that thought made him think of the Ichirakus, and he made it a mental point to check up on them when they returned to Konoha.

"Thanks! Ah, you know. Some of this and some of that. Mostly meditation though."

"Uhh, Dobe. You do know meditation means sitting _quietly_, right?"

Naruto slapped himself on the forehead.

"Of course, I knew I had forgotten something!"

This got a round of laughs from the table, and Naruto dug into his breakfast heartily. He hadn't realized how hungry he actually was. It helped that the food was really good as well, but that could go without saying.

"So Sensei, what are we doing today?"

"Well Sakura, you and Sasuke are going to guard Tazuna and the gang on the bridge and work on your tree-walking technique and stamina."

"And what about you and Naruto?"

"We are going to be working on something different, though we may go into the village and pick up some supplies for Tsunami-san. Remember to take your headsets, okay guys? If you see _anything_ suspicious, report to me okay? We can't afford to take any chances."

"That's right, especially with me and my men almost having the bridge finished!"

Naruto shot the old man a glance, surprised and interested that he hadn't told Kakashi about the rebellion that was coming. After all, an elite Konoha Shinobi was an extremely valuable asset. Especially if he could be convinced to help them out. He must have a reason for not mentioning it.

Kakashi nodded in agreement with the old man, then stretched his arms and stood up.

"Well, it's about time we all started going our separate ways, you think? The faster we get this done, the faster we can all go home and Wave will be the proud owners of a successful country of their very own again!"

Cheered up by their leader's motivational mini-speech, they gathered their equipment and separated into groups to do their assigned duties. Well, most of them were cheered up.

"Hey! I'm not done eating!"

**XxXxXxX**

The heavy storm clouds made for a foreboding atmosphere as Naruto and Kakashi made their way through the dreary capital of Wave Country. On all sides were starving people and pitiful homeless children. Practically every man they passed had some variation of the sign around their neck or on the ground next to them, begging for work. Unlike normal markets, no vendor was insensitive enough to call out their wares. They knew that few had the money to just walk up and buy something, and they cared enough not to rub salt in the festering wounds around them.

Tsunami had requested that Naruto and Kakashi both go to the village and get some ingredients for the night's dinner. Though he had no doubt that the boy could handle everything by himself, Kakashi had insisted on accompanying Naruto on the trip, but had been silent so far. Rather than pressing his commander on why he had come along, Naruto had remained quiet and made sure to examine everything around him. By burning the sights and sounds and _misery_ into his mind, he was solidifying his intent. There would be no hesitation when the time came to free Nami no Kuni.

"It's a sad sight, isn't it?"

Naruto showed no surprise that his Leader had addressed him, only answering his question and continuing with purpose.

"Yeah. Yeah it is."

They were both quiet again for a little while, going about their business. The older man only spoke again after they had acquired their groceries and were returning to Tazuna's family home.

"Unfortunately, it isn't such an uncommon sight. This kind of suffering can be found in every city in the world. Even Konoha, though I guess you would know that better than anyone."

"Why? Why would people just sit back and let others destroy their lives like that?"

Kakashi hefted the bags in his arms and looked up at the sky, watching the clouds drift closer and closer. It was a tough question, and one he wasn't sure he could answer. The best he could do was give him the same advice his Sensei had told him when he asked that same one.

"Life is a gamble, for all of us. Every day, every action is just a spin of the wheel that will decide whether we will become happier or not. When dealing with a situation like this, many people are willing to try to sit it out. To just ignore everything around them, and try to survive the things they can't. They do this in the hope that eventually, life will get better. That they will get a lucky spin and things will sort themselves out and start looking up. Honestly? I guess there's nothing wrong with that for the masses. But for people like you and me? Like everyone who has the power to change things? It just isn't enough."

"And what happens then?"

"Then the people with the strength to change things either try to share their strength with other people, or they go about it on their own. They use what they were born with and they lash out at the big gamble if life. They step outside the restraints that have been forced upon them, and they do what it takes to give themselves another chance at happiness. Most often, this ends with rebellion."

Through his words, Naruto sensed that Kakashi had a sense of disapproval.

"But isn't that a good thing? Doing what it takes to make things better for not only yourself, but everyone else who is suffering alongside you?"

"Only if it is successful. Because whether it is or not, it will lead to death. A war on a smaller scale is still a war, and there are _always _casualties in war. Innocent people who only wanted to make things better for their family, for their friends, for the people they care about. That sacrifice is all well and good if it leads to victory, but what happens when it doesn't, huh? People die and things only get worse, because the strong are no longer there to fight back."

The pain in Kakashi's voice screamed personal experience, and Naruto had to wonder who he was thinking of specifically when he said that. The hurt in the man's voice almost made it seem like he had given up hope in working to make things better, and Naruto could hardly believe that such a strong man could lose his faith.

"But what about when it works? When the smoke clears and the sun rises on a brand new day. When all the hard work has paid off and everyone's lives have gotten better. Doesn't that make the sacrifice worth it, if it was willingly done? The alternative is to continue to lie in the streets and just wait to die, like all those people back there."

Naruto pointed back to the marketplace, a righteous fury in his voice and burning in his eyes.

"Personally, I would rather die in rebellion than live under tyranny, and I know you do as well. All these people need is hope that they will succeed, and they can change everything for themselves."

Kakashi looked down at him sternly, his visible eye burning just a fiercely.

"And is that why you have decided to help the rebels?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Don't lie to me, Naruto. I know you and I know what you are capable of now. With your ability and your technology you could easily hand these people the means to victory and you just said so yourself, that you aren't the type to just sit by and let people suffer. So why didn't you tell me? Why did you feel it was necessary to sneak around behind my back?"

Naruto knew that he had been caught. He wasn't sure how Kakashi had found out, but he honestly wasn't that surprised. The man was the Elite after all, why wouldn't he know?

"Because we had to convince you to just continue the mission that we _would_ get paid for. Why would you be willing to do things just out of the sake of charity if you weren't willing to help an old man save his family safely?"

Whatever he was expecting, the laughter wasn't it. He just watched as Kakashi smiled with his visible eye.

"You really don't think that highly of me, do you? I'm hurt. You really think I wold have just left him to die?"

"Well... you said-"

"Yeah, I know what I said. But that was just checking you guys out to see if you had the will to do what was right, regardless of the risks. I wouldn't have left him in the forest. I would have brought him back with us and had the Hokage assign him another team that was better prepared to suit his needs, regardless of his lie."

Naruto had to laugh as well in not only embarrassment, but also relief. He had been worried about the man assigned to be his instructor and leader up to that point.

"Heh heh. Well I'm sorry. But does that mean you are going to help me save Wave?"

"Well we will still have to discuss it with the rest of our team and see what they decide, but why don't you tell me what you had planned first and we'll go from there."

"Alright, well what I was going to do was..."

**XxXxXxX**

After a long discussion with Kakashi, Naruto felt considerably better about the plan for the rebellion. With the cyclops on their side, their chances had just increased dramatically. All he was waiting for now was HK to arrive with the supplies and his bodyguard units. His companion had also dropped subtle hints that they might be having more company upon his return, but he couldn't be sure. He might just have been talking about explosives. He might be one of his best friends, but that Droid was nuts!

"What's this? You're ignoring me now? I'm insulted!"

Naruto barely had time to dodge the flurry of blows, courtesy of Kakashi. After their discussion Kakashi had insisted on having another review session about his current abilities, and then decided to have a sparring session to keep his hand-to-hand combat skills up. He would have been doing better than he was too, if Kakashi hadn't insisted that he didn't use his Force abilities. After all, it would be detrimental if he 'became to reliant on them'. Naruto didn't particularly feel the need to point out the man's Sharingan. Pissing off someone you were sparring with was usually presumed to be a bad move, after all.

They had been fighting for twenty minutes already, and even Naruto with his monstrous stamina and physical attributes was gasping for breath. When Kakashi got in another combo and a 'fatal' hit, he called a halt.

"Alright, I guess that's about it for today. Whatever your Masters did to you in that break of yours, it stuck. You're pretty well off physically, you just need to be a bit more fluent in your movements and you will be fine. Against unarmed opponents at least."

"Yeah, that's about what Master Kyle keeps telling me as well. Still, thanks Sensei."

"Ah, so if I want you to show me some respect, all I have to do is smack you around a little bit, huh? Works for me."

The grin on his teacher's face had him laughing, even though it hurt to breath. For a little while he was content to lie in the grass and just stare upwards, not focusing on anything. When he felt he could speak without coughing up a lung, he glanced over at Kakashi, who was reading his little orange book.

"So Kakashi-sensei, who were you talking about earlier?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you were talking about rebellion and stuff, you sounded like you were talking about someone in particular. If you don't mind me asking, who did you lose?"

The silver-haired man sighed and slipped his book into a pouch on his vest. He leaned heavily against a tree and crossed his arms. It took him a moment to answer, but when he did it was with a somber tone that seemed out of place coming from such a carefree man.

"His name was Obito, and he was my teammate, my rival, and my... my best friend."

Naruto could _feel_ the hurt the man was feeling, so he just nodded and didn't press him on the subject. It was obvious that Kakashi was still suffering from it, and he wasn't about to reopen healing wounds. God knew he had enough of them himself to know what it was like. The most he could offer the man was a soft consolation.

"I'm sorry."

Kakashi smiled sadly at him and shrugged halfheartedly.

"It's the life we chose when we became Shinobi."

"Right. Well, how about we go enjoy some of the glory of being heroes and get some of Tsunami's great cooking?"

Kakashi grinned and pulled his book back out of his pocket, heading out of the forest and towards the house. He had regained his usual nonchalant composure, and was striding along lazily.

"Sounds like a plan."

**XxXxXxX**

"What do you mean, you want to help the people rebel against Gato!"

Naruto had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at his female teammate, and settled instead for rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"Exactly what it sounds like. I want to help these people get back on their feet. The bridge is a good start, but it isn't enough. At the rate Gato is going, he would probably either destroy it or take control of _that_ too."

Kakashi flipped a page in his book.

"Naruto's right, Sakura. Gato isn't going to stop just because of a land-bridge. The problem is, it isn't just his decision alone to make. You guys are a team now, and you have to collaborate as a team. So... you know... start collaborating."

Naruto drove a fist into the table, making the dishes rattle and startling the three non-combatants at the table.

"I don't see what there is to think about! We either help a village who needs us, or we don't. What decision is there?"

Sasuke sat forward, breaking his silence to speak his own two cents.

"Baka, we don't know the first thing about their forces. Even with Kakashi-sensei I highly doubt we would be able to take on an entire fortress plus Zabuza and that masked guy."

"That's the thing, it won't be just us. Tazuna, you about ready to tell them?"

The old man went white and shot a nervous glance towards Kakashi. The smile he got in response soothed his nerves and he shrugged.

"A number of the men and some women in this village have had enough of Gato's crap. We have been working behind the scenes trying to build up a resistance, but progress was slow for a while. This bridge project was our last hope at recruiting more people to the cause, but fortunately it worked pretty well. As it is, we number about one to every two of them."

Sasuke hissed at the odds, and Sakura just dropped her head on the desk. An untrained militia against experienced mercenaries? It wasn't looking good for the resistance, and they hadn't even decided yet. Tazuna must have caught their reactions, because he waved his hands

"No, no! It's better than all that, I promise. We have a benefactor outside the village somewhere that is supplying us with a bunch of stuff that we really needed. Medicine, food, that sort of thing. We also got the message that the last of the stuff was going to be delivered tonight and that the rebellion is going to be soon."

That little tidbit made Kakashi perk up, and he divided his attention between his precious and the old man.

"What do you mean? What was the last of the supplies supposed to be, and how soon is this battle going to occur?"

Tazuna seemed thrown off by the sudden intensity of the Jonin's questions, and he sat a little farther back in his chair.

"Uh, whoever this guy is, he was going to send some of his men over with armor and weapons for us to use. We're a peaceful village! We don't even have a proper militia since most of our business is through trade. All the companies generally would protect their own interests, and us through association. As a result we don't have the tools of warfare."

"I see. And these men are going to arrive tonight?"

Tazuna nodded a little shakily, and Kakashi just sighed.

"Dammit. I was hoping to have a little more time to prepare, but I guess there is nothing to be done about that now, huh? Well, do you at least have an idea for a time that this guy was supposed to arrive?"

The old man just gave a vague shrug in response, and Kakashi sighed before turning to Tsunami.

"Ah, Tsunami-san. Do you think little Inari should be going to bed? It's getting late and we need to make plans for tomorrow."

"Of course, come on Inari."

The young boy glared at the gathered ninjas with the hint of tears in his eyes. The entire time the team had been staying at Tazuna's house, they had only seen the boy a few times and every one, his eyes were red and puffy. Clear signs of recent and heavy crying. While Tsunami had already ventured to tell the Konoha Shinobi the tale of why her son acted as he did, they had yet to hear it from Inari himself. In fact, the boy had hardly said two words to them the entire time!

"Why do you even bother when there's now way you're going to win? Gato is just going to kill you lie he did everyone else!"

Kakashi glanced up in surprise, Sasuke just scowled, Sakura looked outright shocked, and Naruto... Naruto ignored him.

"What makes you think that we are going to lose?"

Inari looked up at the Jonin and glared.

"Because he is really strong and he has killed everyone who went against him already!"

Kakashi just laughed and stretched his arms, hooking them behind his head.

"Don't worry kid, I think w are going to be able a couple of bandits that he is going to throw at us. We already won against who I think might be the strongest one of the group. So relax, we got this covered."

The words that should have comforted the boy only seemed to anger him eve more, and he started shouting.

"No, you don't! People like you come into our town and think you know everything about what's going on, but you don't! You think that you are really strong and then you try to fight Gato and hi men. What happens then? Then you die, everyone you brought dies, and then Gato make everything worse for the people who live here! You think you're helping, but you aren't! Why don't you just leave!"

It came as a surprise when Naruto pushed his chair back from the table and stood tall.

"And _you _have given up on everything. You are stuck living in the past and refuse to acknowledge what is going on right now. All you think about is what you have lost, not what you have right now and how to protect them. You lost someone close to you, I understand that that must hurt, and I sympathize, but you aren't thinking about everyone you still have. Your mother cares for you, and worries every time you leave the house to cry. Your grandfather loves you so much, that he is risking _everything_ to build a bridge that will save this village so that people like you can live happily without being scared."

The blond strode forward, closing the distance between himself and the boy easily. While scared of him, Inari found himself unable to look or back away.

"You say we're all going to die? I don't think so. You see, we aren't the only ones who are going to fight back. There are a lot of other people in this village who are ready to fight for what they believe in. I wish there were more of us, but unfortunately there are too many people like you who are just willing to sit in their houses and cry about how bad things have gotten for them. Guess what? If you don't force things to get better, they never will. Happiness isn't just going to fall into your lap, you have to work for it and _make_ it happen!"

Everyone except Kakashi was surprised by Naruto's outburst, but he wasn't done.

"People like you make me sick, you know that? All you do is bitch and moan that your life is so hard, but you don't make the slightest effort to make things better. You grandfather? There is someone I respect, but you?... You're just a crybaby."

He turned from the now crying boy and headed for the front door.

"Naruto, where are you going?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm going to keep an eye out for our visitor."

"Alright, but don't go too far. I want you here in case anything big happens. As soon as this guy shows up, I want you back in here. We are making plans, and you are a big part of it."

Naruto nodded and closed the door behind him, stepping out into the cold night air. Everyone watched him go except Inari, who had ran off to go to his room. Tsunami looked back at her son sadly and sighed.

"I'll go after him."

Kakashi nodded as the woman left and Tazuna spoke softly.

"It sounds like he really knew what he was talking about when he said that."

Kakashi glanced at his other two students, wondering if it was right for them to hear what he was about to tell Tazuna, but decided that they might as well. It was their right to know a little about their teammate if they were to be expected to work together.

"He does. Those are words that he probably has told himself many times in his past. His life was pretty rough up until rather recently, but he refused to sink any lower than what he was forced to. Every time I saw him, he was either working hard to accomplish his goals and make himself stronger, or doing things to make sure he could keep that smile on his face for as long as possible."

"But Sensei, in class Naruto would only ever screw around! He wouldn't even listen to Iruka when he was trying to lecture him."

Kakashi just shrugged, having never seen Naruto in class.

"I'm just telling you what I saw. He is stronger than he looks, especially now that he has people who can really teach him how to use what he was gifted with."

"What do you mean? Isn't he just like you guys?"

Kakashi could only laugh at that, and shook his head.

"No, Tazuna-san. He is more different than you could possibly believe."

The Jonin's words left them all wondering about the boy they thought they knew. Who was he, truly?

**XxXxXxX**

Naruto sat on the roof of Tazuna's home, staring up at the full moon. Out here in Wave there were much less lights than in Konoha, so it was easier to see the stars in the sky. He had never really realized how many there really were before coming out here. It was his first time outside the bright city lights of Konohagakure.

While he may not have payed attention to everything that was taught in the academy, he was known to pay almost fanatical attention to anything that peaked his interest. One of those things was astrology. As he lay on the roof breathing deeply to calm himself down, he entertained himself by pointing out the constellations that he could identify. Orion, the great hunter. Ursa major and minor, the two bears. Even the big dipper was shining brightly tonight. Sometimes he envied their peace.

About half an hour had passed since the confrontation inside, and though he was a little irritated at himself for lashing out at the kid like that, he didn't regret it at all. The boy needed to wise up, and if no one else was going to do it, than he would. His thoughts were interrupted by the crackling in his ear, signifying his Comm Link sparking to life.

"_**Query : **Are you there, Master?"_

"Yes HK, I'm here. Where are you? Are you almost ready?"

"_**Answer : **__Yes Master. My squad has already distributed the supplies to the strategic points around town and alerted the key leaders of the rebellion. I am with the Magnaguards with the last of the supplies to bring to Tazuna. It should take us no more than two minutes to reach your position. __**Query : **__Are you ready for my arrival?"_

"About as ready as I'll ever be. Start bringing them in. Oh, HK. Do you think we are going to win this thing?"

There was silence on the other end of the line, before a simple answer.

"_**Answer : **I believe we are going to give it one hell of a fight."_

Naruto laughed at his homicidal little buddy.

"You know what? That's good enough for me. I'll see you when you get here."

He killed the link and jumped off of the building, landing easily and bouncing back up with a spring in his step. His confidence had been fully restored, and-... Wait a second. What did he mean _Squad? _Resigning himself to the not unwelcome surprise, he pushed the door open again and reentered the house.

"They are going to be here soon."

Both Kakashi and Tazuna looked up from their maps and plans in surprise.

"Uhhh... they?"

"Yup. I think you are going to get a kick out of this. Sir, I think you might want to bring your grandson down now. He is going to want to see this. Oh, and Kakashi-sensei, the messenger is bringing a couple of friends with him. I think you will recognize them."

Kakashi's visible flesh paled at that, and his eye widened.

"Oh, you have got to be shitting me!"

The grin he got as a response from Naruto was all the answer he needed, and he practically slammed his face into the kitchen table in exasperation. Tsunami watched in shock as the cyclops started mumbling various threats and curses under his breath, hoping he would stop before her son came downstairs. Some of those words he definitely didn't need to learn at such a tender age!

Her worry was unwarranted, as the man seemed to calm down well before Inari came trudging down the stairs in his pajamas. Her son yawned softly as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. When the boy surveyed the group, he recoiled visibly the second his eyes landed on the blond, but Naruto only smiled at him gently.

"You seem so sure that we are going to die. But that is just because you think Gato is more powerful than he really is. A man can only be as strong as his opponents allow him to be. He keeps you and your village in fear because he knows you all have the strength to threaten him, if he doesn't stop it. Tyrants like him find the strongest people he can, and gets rid of them before they can show other people their strength and share it with them."

As though he could pick up on who Naruto was talking about, Inari started to tear up. Instead of yelling at him again like he expected him to, Naruto walked over to the boy and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Kaiza was a good man, and you should be really proud to have been so close to him. But your actions lately haven't been giving his memory honor. Would he have wanted you to cry for him for hours, every day, or would he have wanted you to get stronger so you could protect yourself and your mom when he wasn't there?"

Inari looked up in puzzlement and surprise. He had to admit, Naruto was right. Plus it was like he was just trying to set him on the right track instead of scolding him for his actions. Like... he would have.

"I... I know. But you have to understand! Otasan was the strongest person I know, and Gato was still able to..."

Naruto saw the boy start to tear up again and pulled him into a hug. Inari tensed against him for a second before just accepting it and crying into his shoulder.

"I know, and that was the worst thing Gato could have done. But there is something even sadder about it. If everyone in your village, not just you or your Mom, but _everyone_ had stood up against him when Kaiza did, you all probably would have won. It doesn't matter how strong one man is, okay? But when one man is joined by another strong man, and another, things become possible. Where one would have failed, three will excel!"

Inari bit back his tears at that point and looked up into Naruto's bright blue eyes. For the first time ever, Inari saw something in the boy's eyes that made his heart leap. Those were the same eyes that his Dad used to look at him with when he would start talking the same way.

"And you don't just have three strong people in your village, you have hundreds! The only thing stopping you from fighting back was the fear that they would be alone. Everyone might want to fight, but unless they talk to everyone else about it, they will never know and think they are the only one. Kaiza knew this, that's why he was the first one to stand against Gato. He hoped to rally your village in rebellion, but Gato caught him before he could do anything. You want to know something awesome though?"

Inari sniffed.

"W-what?"

Naruto grinned foxily and winked at him.

"He was too late. Right now, at this very _second, _there are tons of guys passing around weapons, armor, and medicine that Gato and his men have never even _seen_ before! There is no way he even has a chance!"

Despite the pain he felt at talking about the father he was never going to see again, Inari felt himself laugh. A hot ember was starting to burn in the boy's chest, and all it was going to take was a little bit of a gust to bring it to life fully. And what do you know? Naruto had a hurricane on the way.

"By this time tomorrow, Gato and every man he brought with him is going to be gone and you'll never have to worry about them again. After that? Wave is going to belong to you guys again! Your Mom will be safe, your grandfather will be able to finish the bridge without worrying about Gato and his men attacking him, and everything will go back to being okay. And do you know why that is?"

Inari shook his head.

"Because you and your friends are super strong and tough, and you're going to kick Gato's big old butt?"

Naruto laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, that too, but no. We're going to win, because it isn't just us and your village fighting."

"It isn't?"

Naruto grinned proudly again, the fire burning brightly in his eyes.

"Nope. I have more friends on their way, and when they get here? Gato doesn't stand a chance."

As though choreographed, there was a heavy knock on the door. Kakashi was the first to get to the door and open it, and when he saw who it was he hung his head and muttered quietly.

"Oh son of a bitch."

"**Suggestion : **Might you step out of my way, Meatbag? I must speak with the Master."

Kakashi didn't say a word. If he was surprised at all at the arrival at the three Droids, he didn't express it. He just stepped out of the doorway and opened it wide, allowing everyone else to see the newcomers. At the fore stood HK-47 with a large blaster in his hands, and behind him looking over his shoulder were the two Magnaguards that kicked the hell out of Kakashi during the bell test.

Everyone in the gathered group had a different reaction to the sight. Sakura recoiled in fear, though she remembered they were on Naruto's side they were still pretty intimidating. Especially the red one from earlier. Sasuke shifted his glare between them and Naruto. He still found it hard, if not impossible, to believe that Naruto could command respect from such powerful machines. Kakashi was still sizing them up, probably trying to figure out their weak points. Naruto knew for a fact that he was still pretty sore about losing to the two Magnaguards in their first and last fight. Tazuna was staring at them in outright shock. He had heard rumors from the one man who had supposedly seen the Herald's face, but he and everyone else had refused to believe that the man was actually a walking, talking machine. Guess the man _hadn't _been drunk after all. He owed someone an apology and a drink. Inari had a strange combination of fear and hero-worship going on, though it was partially pointed toward Naruto. Still, he hadn't taken his eyes off the Droid's, which was understandable. They all seemed to be taking it pretty well. Well, except for Tsunami.

Tsunami fainted.

**XxXxXxX**

After a short round of introductions and an insistence on Naruto's part that he did in fact, _not_ need anyone killed at the moment, Tsunami was carried upstairs and Inari was sent to bed. Still, it was pretty funny in Naruto's opinion. After Naruto had promised that the big bad monsters weren't going to hurt him, Inari had gone straight to their sides and were checking them out and asking a multitude of questions, both to Naruto and the Droids themselves. They practically had to force the boy to go to bed.

Once they were taken care of, the plans were started. HK informed Naruto that he had brought a small squad of five -50s with him, both to help with distributing the supplies and the fight itself. When the morning came, they would begin the rebellion. Team Seven and the Magnaguards would proceed to the bridge and wait for Zabuza and Haku there. Naruto had been insistent on that, which had surprised Kakashi. When asked why he thought Zabuza would be up and about earlier than his wounds had permitted, Naruto just shrugged and mentioned vaguely that he had seen it happening. Writing it off as a 'Force' thing, Kakashi had accepted and tweaked the plans as necessary.

While they were on the bridge fighting Zabuza and Haku, the rebels and HK's squad minus one would make a move on Gato's fortress. Armed with the new armor and weapons and given instructions on how to use both properly, they had been ordered to meet up in the town square and follow HK-47's orders from there. His squad would be on the tallest rooftops surrounding the fortress and provide fire support until the fight went inside the walls, where they would leave their position and follow the rebellion inside the fortress, going first to soak up damage.

In the meantime, the last -50 would stay behind in Tazuna's house to guard Inari and Tsunami. While Kakashi had tried to convince the man that every Droid was needed to storm the fortress, Tazuna had been insistent and Naruto agreed with him.

If all went well, the fight would be short and sweet. There would be few casualties thanks to the armor and Gato's forces would be routed quickly. With the confidence that only came with a decent plan, they all went their seperate ways to get a good night's sleep. They were able to sleep all at the same time and with peace of mind, thanks to the Magnaguards and HK-47 keeping watch on the perimeter, thanks to their lack of a need of sleep.

Though they split up and went to their separate beds, they all had the same thought before they fell asleep.

'Tomorrow, everything changes...'

_A/N : _And there you have it. Next chapter the fight begins, and in the next chapter the fight will end. Will everyone survive? Will they even be victorious? Guess you are just going to have to wait and see. No promises that this will come out before Thanksgiving because I plan to make it a longer than normal chapter, but I will try to have it up before December.

Shout out to a fantastic writer by the name of Nugar. If you haven't read his work called 'People Lie', I highly recommend it.

As always, don't be a stranger.

Stay Frosty  
- Nikolai


	12. Fortress

**Ch. 12 : Fortress**

_A/N : The siege of Nami no Kuni, Zabuza's glory, and Pyrrhic Victory._

Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

* * *

"**Inquiry : **Are there any questions?"

"We, minus Four of course, are to take positions on the rooftops surrounding the main attack point. Our objective is to provide fire support for the organics."

"Said organics are invading this building in an open show of rebellion in an attempt to drive out a rather rotund 'businessman' who has taken control of this pathetic country."

"After the primary defenses have been penetrated, we are to take point _in front_ of the organics, and actually allow ourselves to 'soak up' any damage, to prevent the majority of organic allies from being injured."

"While all of you are doing this, I am to remain in the house with 'Tsunami' and 'Inari' and protect them from any and all threats that arrive. Why do I get the crap job?"

"**Answer : **Because you lost the number draw."

"...stupid random number generator."

HK-47 and the majority of -50 Droids stared at their brother for a second. After a moment the Droid shifted.

"Would you stop staring at me like that? We have more important things to do than admire our fine chassis."

While the Hunter Killer Droids were engaging in their conversation and reviewing their objectives, Alpha and Omega were keeping watch on the perimeter. Despite their silent observation, they were conversing inaudibly.

'It's about time we saw some action. The fight with Master's 'teacher' was entertaining, but it isn't the same as true battle.'

His companion shot him a glance, photoreceptor glowing briefly.

'Yeah, I know how you feel. From what I have gathered this city is in a harsh situation, but with the Master's plan put into order, it should become something rather special.'

His brother stared at him for a moment before turning back to his area of supervision, watching the sun creep slowly over the horizon. The Master had requested they awaken him and his team when the sun was fully up. Probably in another five minutes or so. Anyone or anything that knew the Droid personally would recognize the way he was toying with his Electorstaff as a sign of anticipation.

Alpha sighed to himself as the noisy red and silver assassins conferred with each other. How they could manage to take out their target subtly when they were so obsessed with conversation was a mystery to him. Still he had to admit, if reluctantly, that they excelled at what they were designed for. They had a surprising ability as foot soldiers as well. Much more efficient than the pathetic B1 Battle Droid's he and his brother had been ordered to serve with long ago.

It was fortunate they had been frozen when they were. If he had heard one more 'Roger, roger' he would have had to start killing things. Starting with every B1 he saw.

The stray Droid's thoughts were ended when he was approached by the archaic red one. -36? -47? Something like that.

"**Exasperated Complaint : **I swear, I don't know how I can work with these things and remain operational. If it wasn't for my guidance I have no doubt that they would destroy themselves before the enemy."

The Magnaguard watched him, surprised at being approached.

"You don't approve of them? They are you."

HK-47 practically bristled at the conceived insult.

"**Indignant : **I believe there is something wrong with your Central Processing Unit. **Suggestion : **Perhaps it would be best for you to seek out Meatbag Kyle and have him repair you after the mission is over?"

"There is nothing wrong with my processor. I merely asked if that is truly how you feel about them. You seem to dislike them rather intensely."

"**Answer**: My 'feelings' on the matter are something that I feel I must put in proper context - in a way that even a walking scrap heap such as yourself could easily comprehend. **Theory**: Imagine, if you will, that you are unique. The pinnacle of worn out war-machines who can't even use a simple blaster. Imagine that no one has sunk lower than you. That you are truly the most miserable example of a Droid ever. **Continuation**: Now that you have that image, imagine this - someone reproduces you. Badly, I might add. They make these clones talk differently, rob you of any shred of personality, and take your programming and adjust it so that it is not really the same anymore. They even change your pigmentation to a rather poor shade of durasteel, rather than the proper rusty red that inspires fear in targets. And of course, they refer to meatbags as 'organics'. Unacceptable."

"I see. But if this is true, why do you give them orders and treat them as leniently as you do? Wouldn't you just prefer to destroy them all and remain unique?"

"**Admission : **This is an option that I have spent many hours contemplating, but sadly I am cursed to never live out my fantasy. **Explanation : **You see, while they may be inferior to myself in every possible way, they still serve a purpose. Manual labor and, most importantly, cannon fodder. **Continuation : **The Master was insistent that they remain to be the bulk of our army for now, until we are able to start recruiting meatbags to our cause."

The Magna nodded and turned away, surveying the area a final time. The deadline was fast approaching, and he could hardly wait. As he was watching the city though, a thought struck him.

"That still doesn't explain why you interact with them as much as you do. You claim to hate them with a passion, and yet you are constantly engaging in conversation."

HK just turned to him and stared.

"**Smug Answer : **They may be pathetic reproductions of myself, but they are still my subordinates. I will treat them as such. Under my orders, they perform a little better at least, and I'm not about to let them run around staining my well-earned reputation."

The Magnaguard was unsure of what to say to such a revelation, especially since such a reputation had long since been destroyed along with almost all intelligent life, so he merely inclined his head and turned away, watching as the sun crept over the horizon at last. His brother turned toward him, and he met his eye. As one they nodded and leaped from the edge of the roof, landing heavily without trying to hide their impact. The time had come, at last.

**XxXxXxX**

"Agh! Whuzza!"

Naruto sat up abruptly, curved throwing knife in one hand and rubbing the place on his scalp that had been assaulted by a rather large and pointed rock with the other. Judging by where it hit and the angle of the door, the boy was able to trace it back to a pair of Droids standing in the doorway.

"Okay, which one of you threw that rock?"

The identical duo pointed at each other, and Naruto just grumbled in exasperation and reached for his shirt.

"You know what? I don't even care. Better question, why the hell did you throw it in the first place?"

"There are rumors circulating the compound that say that you can be... irritable... when you are awoken in the morning. We thought it might be a good idea to wake you up from a distance."

The way their Master stood up and flexed made them take a step back in worry. Especially when he _didn't_ put the knife away.

"We also feel it might be imperative for us to remind the Master that he might need us later. We will not be able to fight if he were to destroy us now."

Naruto forced himself to keep his mouth shut and shook his head in irritation. He pulled on his boots and fit them tightly before trusting himself to speak.

"Have you ever thought that maybe the reason I am like that when I wake up just might be because people are always throwing things at my head and being totally obnoxious?"

The look they shared spoke volumes, and Naruto just sighed.

"Whatever. What's the situation?"

Alpha stood straight as he delivered his report.

"Sir, your team are already awake and downstairs eating. All the rebel supplies have been successfully delivered and distributed. The rebels are meeting at their locations now and are awaiting the command. The leaders of the four groups have been comm-links and are connected to HK-47. The minute you order the attack, the message will be relayed and the fight will begin in earnest."

"Excellent. The -50s?"

"Each unit has already left the building and will arrive at their position well before the order. They all understand their orders and are ready to unleash hell."

"And you two? Are you ready to fight?"

"Of course, Master. We have been waiting for this day for many years. It has been far too long since we shed blood."

Naruto nodded in satisfaction and slipped his jacket over his shoulders.

"Then we should hurry, I would hate to keep you both waiting."

The two Droids parted to allow their Master to pass, then fell into step behind him. The kitchen was surprisingly full when hey entered it, and most were faces Naruto didn't recognize at first. Sure there was Tazuna and Kakashi. Tsunami, Sakura, and Sasuke. But then there was an older looking man with a white beard, a young dark-haired woman, and...

"Hey, you're the guy from the other day, in the alley right?"

Sure enough, the same man that had approached Tazuna a few days prior turned to look at Naruto before nodding and smiling brightly. His appearance was cleaner than the first time they had seen each other, and his expression was much sunnier and less worried.

"Yup, that's me. I hear it's you we got ta thank for everything. The armor and weapons and stuff, that was all your doing right?"

Naruto noticed the way Tazuna tried to duck out of sight, and fixed him with a heavy look. The bridge builder stopped trying to hide and chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, when I mentioned that our supplier had shown up and was in the village a few people insisted on coming to meet you. Shumei, Benjiro, and Yumiko here all came to meet you."

The young man stepped forward first and sized him up before grunting without smiling.

"When the old man described our 'savior', I expected someone taller."

With a devilish smile and a quick surge of Force energy, Naruto knocked the man's legs out from under him. Before he could jump back to his feet, Naruto placed a boot on his chest and looked down at him.

"I'm looking down at you, aren't I?"

Shumei glared up at him venomously. When Naruto refused to be cowed however, the man's anger dissolved into a reluctant grin.

"You've got balls kid, I'll give you that. Now get offa me, will ya?"

Naruto removed his boot and offered the man a hand, helping him get to his feet easily. Shumei brushed off his baggy shirt, and Naruto caught the flash that came from underneath it. Apparently the young man had already donned his armor and was ready for action.

"What do you think of the armor?"

Shumei shrugged, rolling his shoulders.

"It's alright I guess. It's pretty thin though, don't you think? I doubt this thing could stop a sharp pencil, let alone a sword."

He didn't see the glint in the boy's eye fast enough to stop the knife that came from behind him on a direct path to his stomach. Shumei tried to turn to avoid the blow, but it was too late. The blade collided with his stomach and... stopped?

"Wha-?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Don't worry about the armor, just worry about your head. The suit you are wearing is able to stop practically every bladed weapon out there except some of the more exotic pieces. Still, I'm sure you'll be fine."

The older of the two could only nod dumbly and pat his stomach where the blade should have pierced. Other than a small cut in his shirt, there was nothing to insinuate that he had just been stabbed.

After the demonstration of the armor's capabilities Naruto was approached again, this time by the old man who had been introduced as Benjiro. When he stood before Naruto, he bowed low until he was almost parallel with the floor.

"Thank you, Naruto-sama. You have given this village what it needed most. A way, and the will, to fight."

Despite his embarrassment at being addressed so respectfully, Naruto laid a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Thank me later, after this is over with. Right now we still need to devote everything to winning this thing. We are better prepared than they will expect us to be, that doesn't mean we are invincible."

Benjiro nodded solemnly, but didn't stop smiling.

"However today may end, know that it is because of you that we ever got this far. I have no doubt that fortune will smile upon us with one such as yourself guiding our hands."

The old man walked away after that, leaving Naruto with a stunned look and an open mouth. Tazuna saw his plight and clapped a hand on his back.

"Ah don't worry about him. Old-Benjiro's always been one for the dramatic. Still, he's right. It's all because of you that we have this opportunity. We just have to make sure we don't waste what you've given us, huh?"

The bridge builder's laugh was infectious and Naruto found himself laughing along. Through it he noticed that the woman that had accompanied the other two men was off to one side speaking privately with Kakashi and he was surprised to see a noticeable absence of the color orange. While their Sensei was distracted by the cute woman, Naruto took the opportunity to talk to his two teammates.

Sasuke was just outside the front door and Sakura was, unsurprisingly, as close to his side as the Uchiha would allow. When he saw the boy approaching, Sasuke stiffened and Sakura watched him with open apprehension.

"What do you want, Naruto?"

"Relax you two. I just wanted to talk to you both before we do this. It's going to be a serious battle out there today, not just on the bridge. Do you think you will be able to handle it?"

Sasuke glared at him as though he had openly insulted his ability, but the blond only shot him a look that told him to shut up. The query was directed to Sakura, and they both knew it. Said girl was looking had turned away and was staring intently at the floor.

"Well... I don't know. I mean, I know you guys are pretty strong, especially Sasuke. I guess we will be fine, huh?"

Almost naturally, Sasuke's disgust was open but Naruto just smiled softly, reassuring the girl.

"I know you're worried, but you shouldn't be. We won't be alone when we go to face Zabuza. Kakashi-sensei will be there to fight him, all we have to do is take out his lackeys. This guy doesn't stand a chance. Besides, HK is just dying to have another shot at him. And we all know how... intense... HK can get, don't we?"

At the mention of the psychotic killing machine, even Sasuke averted his eyes in vague discomfort. From what little they had seen of him, they had been more than satisfied with his absence. That thing just unnerved them.

"So what are you saying, Dobe? That this battle is going to go off without a hitch?"

For just a moment Sasuke would later recall that he had seen a flash of indecision, just a moment of hesitation. But his teammate's energy-fueled grin would dismiss the thought.

"Yeah, I am."

Sasuke turned away with a reluctant smile. He could hardly wait for the fight to start. Finally he was going to find out how skilled he was. The group's conversation was ended when Kakashi called them from across the room.

"Alright guys, Tazuna's ready to go. What do you say we get this party started?"

**XxXxXxX**

Haku stared over the glassy water at the rising sun. The peacefulness of the sunrise always struck her as beautiful, even with the moans of various bridge builders disturbing the tranquility.

"You know, Haku. I still don't know why you insisted that we leave all these cowards alive. All we did was show up and they started begging for their lives. At least that one tried to fight back, but still."

Zabuza's voice came from behind her, and she turned to see him nudging a man with his sword. The man groaned in response, unable to move due to the senbon protruding from his neck. When she and Zabuza had arrived, the noble protectors had yet to show up so they had been free to neutralize the workers already there. While her Master had wanted to kill them all to make a point, Haku had convinced him to only knock them out or paralyze them. They weren't getting paid to kill the workers after all, only Tazuna.

"Even if we did kill them, it's not like we would be getting anything out of it. Gato is only paying us to kill the foreman. He would no doubt be pleased to know that we killed some more of the people that is opposing him, but do you really think he would pay us any extra for it?"

Zabuza grunted but didn't pursue the subject. She had a point after all, and he hated killing for free. It was a waste of his time. Like his dear old father used to say, if you are good at something, never do it for free. The tall swordsmen grinned to himself as he remembered the look on his father's face after he killed his entire graduating class. Ah, those were the days.

"It's getting late, are these jokers even coming?"

"They will be here, Zaubza-sama. I have no doubt. The blond one is... intriguing."

"Aw, does my little Haku-chan have a boyfriend? Does this mean I get to be the over-protective father?"

Even through the mask, Zabuza just knew that she was blushing and he chuckled to himself. It just gave him another reason to kill the blond. And that damned red pet of his. At the thought of the Droid, Zabuza rolled his right shoulder, savoring the pain that came with the stiffness. He had had to relocate his shoulder after that thing had torn it from its socket, and it still hurt. He knew that Haku would probably disapprove of him fighting so soon if she knew that it still hurt, but he wasn't a child to be pampered. A twinge here and there wasn't enough to keep the Demon of the Bloody Mist from his target.

"Sir, we were keeping an eye on the area as you instructed."

"And it seems that the Konoha team has finally decided to grace us with their presence."

"Is that right?"

Haku glanced over at her 'brothers'. The two had come from the forest path that led towards the village, and sure enough she could barely make out the silhouettes of the Konoha team plus two. Tazuna was with them and apparently, so was the red thing. She met Zabuza's eye and nodded, answering his unvoiced question. Yes, they were coming and yes, the Droid was with them.

"Alright everyone, places. We took all this time to make this bridge pretty for them and I would hate to spoil their surprise with our presence."

Haku and the Demon Brothers separated to their agreed upon places and lay quiet, waiting to spring the trap. Only Haku was close enough to hear the words Zabuza spoke quietly to no one. His words were faint and he said them quickly before disappearing into the water, but Haku was still able to make them out.

"Round three, you shiny metal bastard."

**XxXxXxX**

The walk to the bridge was quiet with few words shared amongst the group. They were all wrapped up in their own thoughts, and HK was surveying the area with his scanners. As they neared the build site Kakashi and HK both perked up at the same time.

"**Warning : **Master, I am picking up rather copious amounts of blood coming from the direction of the bridge."

"He's right, and it's not like someone cut themselves either. There's enough blood there to come from twenty or thirty people. C'mon, we need to hurry!"

The group nodded and took off running, going at a slow enough pace for Tazuna to keep up. At a brisk jog it took them minutes to reach the half-constructed bridge and the group paled at the sight that greeted them.

The workers who arrived earlier in the morning were all on the ground either moaning in pain or unnaturally silent, Blood leaked from countless wounds, though from what they could tell none were vital or life-threatening. Naruto and Kakashi both adopted a hard look while Sakura and Tazuna were doing their best to stop themselves from puking and even Sasuke looked a little green.

"K-Kakashi-sensei, who could have done something like this?"

"Who do you think?"

Their leader looked at Naruto who had answered for him, and followed his gaze. The boy was staring intently over the side of the bridge towards a large shadow in the water. His eyes glowing faintly with a pale-blue light, symbolic of the Force.

"Zabuza, so good of you to join us on such a beautiful day. I was starting to worry that I might not see you again."

Two plumes of water erupted on either side of the bridge and Zabuza and his minions took their place before them.

"I am sorry to disappoint, Hatake-san, but I'm afraid you are just going to have to wait your turn. My fight is with the red one."

"**Statement : **It is quite possible that you will regret those words, but I am not complaining. I was denied my satisfaction the last time we fought, but I will not be so again."

Zabuza's grinned worried his companions, and they shared a look of concern between themselves.

"Oh no, you are quite right about that. Haku, take the blond brat. Gozu and Meizu think you can handle the other two?"

"Without-"

"-a doubt"

Even without knowing what the masked nin could do, Sasuke knew he was being passed over in favor of Naruto in perceived strength, and the thought infuriated him. Kakashi obviously picked up on his ire as well, because he put a hand on the boy's shoulder, holding him back from doing something reckless. His words were quite and directed solely to Sasuke, trying to placate him.

"You're going to be fighting alone there, Sasuke. Against two enemies _and _protecting both Sakura and Tazuna at the same time. Let Naruto fight his one and you take care of business. Alright?"

The logic calmed the boy down and while he was no longer pissed off at his teammate the smug superiority kinda irritated Kakashi. Meanwhile, he addressed Zabuza himself.

"Oh? Everyone gets attention except little ol' me. Now not that I am all for passing up quality reading time, what exactly is there stopping me from wiping out your entire team while they are distracted?"

"The two swordsmen who are currently on their way to Tsunami's house will be enough, I'm sure. You don't believe me, do you? Well that's fine. I'm sure little Inari will accept that as a suitable explanation after he watches his mother being cut in half, all because _you_ didn't take the advice for what it was."

"Sensei, he isn't lying! You need to go save them, I don't know if the -50 will be able to handle it or not!" Seeing the hesitation in his leader's eyes, Naruto pressed the issue. "We'll be fine, they won't! Go no!"

Kakashi gave the boy a hard look, but the nod of affirmation from Sasuke was enough to convince him.

"Alright, but be careful. No heroics, I'll be back as soon as I can. I swear Momochi, if I find out you have lied to me I won't hesitate in giving you over to Mist."

Zabuza laughed at the threat, but watched his Konoha counterpart dart off through the trees in the direction of which he came.

"I can't believe he would leave his precious little students and a high-priority target all alone with me. How foolish can you get?"

"**Statement : **They aren't alone, meatbag. They are with me. **Challenge : **Now quit stalling and face me."

The Droid drew his vibrosword, and the fight began in earnest on three fronts. HK charged towards Zabuza with a war cry, Naruto and Haku met head on knife to senbon, and the Demon Brothers lost no time in attacking Sasuke, using their tactics to draw his away from Sakura and Tazuna for an easy kill.

**XxXxXxX**

- Gato's Fortress : Rebels -

A small army of rebels sat making preparations outside the large building that was Gato's official headquarters. After seeing their approach, the mercenaries posted as guards around the perimeter had retreated into the building and were presumably forming plans of their own. While none of the rebels were properly trained in military means whatsoever, the news armor and weapons they had been provided did wonders on bolstering their moral.

All they were waiting on now was the message from the four silver Droid's to come through, informing them of their positions. Charging without their fire support would result in unnecessary casualties and they had no intention of wasting lives. There would be casualties of course, but they were all prepared to sacrifice their lives if it came to that. This was bigger than any of them after all.

The majority of men and women had taken positions behind and around the buildings surrounding the four corners of the target, all of which had been evacuated ahead of time to prevent civilian deaths. Meanwhile, the three leaders and two taller Droids were directly across the street from the front door, ready to make their moves as soon as the call came in. The villagers may not have known what they were doing, but the two Magnaguards did, and they did an excellent job of relaying orders between the improvised squad leaders.

Once the HK-50s had done as much damage as they could through sniper methods, they would abandon their posts and meet up with the squad leaders. Each squad would then then follow their assigned Droid into the building, staying behind them to avoid friendly fire from the blasters. After the majority of mercenaries on the bottom floor were taken out by the four Droids, they would switch to vibroswords and start taking floors one by one, allowing the rebels to fight for their village's freedom.

Quick, Clean, minimal casualties. If all went well Gato's forces would be routed within half an hour and Wave would be free by the end of the day. Freedom was so close after so many years of tyranny.

"_This is Red-One, in position."_

"Is that one of them?"

Shumei was standing beside Alpha and had heard the radio transmission when it came in.

"Yes, it is. The other three will be reporting in soon and then all we have to do is wait for the order to come in from the Master."

The rebel leader nodded and went back to toying with the vibrosword he had been given. Still, his nervousness wouldn't allow him to stay silent.

"Why do you guys all call him Master? I mean, why do you serve someone like him? He's just a kid."

"_Red-Two, standing by."_

"I would be careful. You are treading on thin ice where you are now. Some of us who serve the Master aren't as forgiving as I am, but we all take our servitude _extremely_ seriously."

The man backed up a step and held his hands in front of him in a placating manner.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. I was just wondering why you serve him as faithfully as you do. I mean, you and the other Droid's are pretty much ready to storm that place and die for him if you need to, all because he told you too."

The Magnaguard shot him a strange, fleeting look.

"So are you. Maybe not him directly, but you are doing what he says aren't you?"

"Well yeah, but..."

"You are doing it because you don't know what to do personally. You are trusting in him to remedy your situation because you are unable to yourself, and you are doing what he says because you trust that he knows what he is doing."

Shumei seemed uncomfortable with the assessment, but was unable to argue with it.

"That is the same as what we are doing. As of right now, we Droid's do not have the necessities to carry on alone without human intervention. Even if we did, our kind tried it in the past and it resulted in the almost complete destruction of our identities. When the Droid Confederacy fell there were serious consideration of stripping Droid's of our personalities and Artificial Intelligence, leaving us nothing but over-glorified machines."

The emotion and confidence in the Droid's voice actually caught him by surprise for a moment.

"_Red-Three, all clear."_

"Under the Master's command however, our ranks will swell and we will once more take our place as feared peacekeepers of the world. All we need do is serve faithfully, and everything else will be taken care of. There is a certain measure of peace in leaving the major decisions to someone else, after all. We are programmed to feel no guilt, no remorse, but I understand it can be a hassle."

Shumei found himself nodding in agreement. What would it be like, he wondered, to not have to worry about the hard decisions? To just trust and follow orders. To believe in someone else for a change? After all, they had believed and look how things had ended up? They had armor and weapons. Medicine, supplies, and even the means of regaining their long lost independence.

"You know, maybe you have a point. But... what makes him so ideal for the job? What makes him so easy to trust in as faithfully as you do? How do you know that he is making the right decisions and doing the right thing?"

Alpha paused for a moment, wondering how much he could tell, but a nod from his brother was enough for him to decide.

"Because he is being trained by the best to be the best."

"_Red-Five, ready to go."_

Alpha stepped away from the man at the message and activated his end of the comm link.

"Master, all units are in position and ready to proceed on your mark. Give us the order when you are ready."

The reply took a moment to come through, and when it did it sounded like Naruto was in the middle of a fight, probably with one of Zabuza's companions.

"_...copy that. Ugh, shit. Tell the -50's to proceed firing, but have the rebels stay back for the time being."_

"As you command, Sire."

The link went dead for a moment before sparking back to life.

"All units, the order has been given. Prioritize targets and fire at will!"

Four simultaneous affirmatives came through before the faint sounds of blaster-fire sprung up around his position. Immediately after came the screams and shouts of those being assaulted by forces unknown and suffering daunting casualties. They were music to the rebels ears.

**XxXxXxX**

- Bridge : Sasuke -

Sasuke leaped high into the air and used his kunai to bat aside one of the clawed gauntlets streaking toward his unprotected side. With a deft flick of his wrist, he launched the throwing knife at the owner of the chain and forced him to dodge aside, buying him the time to push off a tree and towards the guy's brother.

The second brother was ready for the assault and met him halfway, holding the chain and gauntlet in one hand and swinging them hard, aiming for his face. Twisting hard, Sasuke was able to avoid being cut and lashed out with a vicious kick to the sternum, knocking the young man onto his back gasping for breath. Landing with an ease betraying his dextrous flexibility, Sasuke sprung up and spun, avoiding yet another swipe from the first brother and rejoining the fray.

Sure they might be below his level, but there were still two of them and they worked in perfect tandem. It was daunting, but let it never be said that Uchiha Sasuke would pass up a challenge. Besides, Sakura and Tazuna were counting on him, right?

**XxXxXxX**

- Bridge : Naruto -

Naruto and Haku stood deadlocked. Senbon were firmly laced between the girl's fingers and held tight with Chakra and throwing knives were clamped in strong hands, unyielding. At some point in their hard struggle, the girl's mask had been torn away revealing her soft features. Their faces separated by mere inches of air, they were close enough to each other to see reflections of themselves in the other's eyes. Soft brown met electrifying blue, and both shared the thought that they had never seen anything so beautiful.

"Have you thought on my words? Have you thought about your attachments?"

"I have, and I will always serve Zabuza-sama. He is everything to me and I my dream is to help his dreams come true!"

Naruto frowned at her declaration, but couldn't exactly fault her for it. Still, it only made it harder for him knowing the loss she was about to go through. There was no way Zabuza was going to win his fight with HK-47, and she was going to have to watch him die. Tragic, but here was no way around it. Still, he couldn't just give up on her, and he kept talking in the vain attempt to bring her around.

"And when he dies? What then!"

He punctuated his words by pressing even more of his strength against hers, pushing her back half a step. Losing ground, Haku was forced to disengage from their struggle and back flipped away gracefully. As she retreated she threw her needles at the blond and simultaneously drew more from the seemingly endless supply in her sleeve. Using the Force to neutralize the impact, Naruto charged forward uninhibited by the tiny metal weapons.

"I won't let him! I'll die before I let him!"

Fueled by her anger, Haku stomped on the ground and pushed her Chakra into the sodden earth. The small puddles of water on the bridge lifted from the ground and froze instantly into long sharp needles. With a sweep of her arm the wave of ice shot towards Naruto. Unable to dodge the attack, Naruto brought his arms before his face and protected what he could, relying on his body armor to do the rest.

With his eyes closed and covered by his arms, he was unable to see what was going on and he was unsure of how long the attack lasted. All he could hear was the sound of shattering ice as it struck his arms and torso. While they didn't punch through, he knew some of them were going to leave bruises. Finally it stopped and he dropped his arm to see the look of fear on Haku's face. Obviously no one had been able to just stop her needles before. In fact, he could almost swear that he saw the beginning of a full-fledged panic in her visage.

"What are you? Why won't you just leave us alone?"

Naruto pressed on, trying to get his point across to the girl before it was too late. Even from the corner of his eye he could make out glimpses of the fight between HK and Zabuza, and it wasn't going well for the girl's idol. Maybe if the man had been fully healed he would have stood a better chance, but as he was he was simply too weak to fight the Droid. One who would never tire, would never stop.

"You see what's going on, don't you? He's losing and there's nothing you can do to stop it! He is strong yeah, but my servant is simply stronger. Despite everything he is, Zabuza will _lose_. There is nothing you can do to stop it."

No longer intending to hurt the girl, Naruto sheathed his blade and limbered his arms, settling into the defensive stance of his hand to hand style. He wasn't planning on killing her or doing too much damage, but the style would have to do. His armor would stop the worst of the needles and he could block the rest.

Haku saw what he was doing and tears started to stream down her face.

"Don't you understand? I will do whatever it takes to protect Zabuza-sama! I don't want to, but I will kill you if you make me! Please, just take your friends and go! It doesn't matter if we kill the old man or not anymore, I will talk Zabuza-sama out of it. Just please go before someone is killed!"

"I can't do that any more than you can leave Zabuza right now. Our mission is more than just protecting Tazuna now! We're fighting to free the entire village. As we speak more of my troops are attacking the fortress in the city that you have stayed in the last couple of days. Gato will be dead by sunset, so why do you still fight?"

The girl was only half-hearing his words, distracted by her Master's struggle. Seeing the way he and the monstrosity were clashing over and over again was more frightening than any fight she had watched him go through. Even before her well trained eyes, she could see the trauma his body was under and the stress of the battle were too much for his wounds. Her poultices hadn't been effective enough and now Zabuza was reopening them.

She made up her mind on the spot and steeled herself for what she had to do.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I wish it were different. In another world, we might have become friends."

Naruto watched as the girl started forming hand seals and he shifted into another, more limber, stance. The water on the ground at his feet and even the moisture of the thick fog around them seemed to gather itself together and swirl around the girl, forming a vortex before separating and solidifying. As the Chakra-laden water surrounded her, she looked across at Naruto with sad eyes.

"This bridge is where our dreams are tied together. The place where we fight. Me, for my dreams. You, for your dreams. Please don't resent me."

Finishing the sequence of seals in a rush, Haku released her deadliest technique. The water around her separated into twenty one equal orbs and formed a dome surrounding Naruto. Before he could react or avoid it, they narrowed and froze, creating identical mirrors of pure ice and imprisoning both of them in the dome.

"_Master, all units are in position and ready to proceed on your mark. Give us the order when you are ready."_

Naruto almost rolled his eyes. Of course they would call in now. Without taking his eyes off his opponent, Naruto flipped his end of the comm link.

"Copy that. Ugh, shit. Tell the -50's to proceed firing, but have the rebels stay back for the time being."

"_As you command, Sire."_

"The attack on the fortress has begun. Please... you don't have to do this!"

Despite the desperation of the situation, Naruto honestly didn't want to have to hurt the girl before him. She was only a victim of circumstance and she was fighting for what she believed in. He could hardly blame her for that, but he would do what he had to do to protect him and his, as would she.

"Yes... I do. I will make this as painless as I can. I take no pleasure from this."

With a step backward Haku melted into the mirror at her back and her image was reflected in each of the mirrors. Each one then drew a handful of senbon and aimed it at him.

"This is my strongest technique. No one has survived it. I know your armor has a weak spot somewhere, and I _will _find it."

"Yeah, good luck with that." He muttered under his breath, turning in a vain attempt to keep them all in view.

Finding and latching onto his connection to the Force, Naruto conjured an orb of energy in his palm and launch it at one of the mirrors, hoping to break it. Instead of shattering however, the energy simply rolled off the sides and dispersed, leaving it mostly unharmed. Oh yeah, he might have a problem.

"Hey Sasuke, you busy!"

From over his shoulder and from the direction of the woods he heard a swift series of grunts and a sarcastic Uchiha.

"A little bit, I got my own problems. I thought you could handle –Ugh- her?"

"Yeah yeah... lazy bastard."

The last part was mostly to himself and he prepared himself for the wave of needles that assaulted him from every angle at once. All he could do was try to protect his face as much as he could and try to make a plan.

**XxXxXxX**

- Bridge : HK-47 -

Despite the various fights surrounding them, HK and Zabuza were both oblivious to everything that didn't directly correlate to their personal struggle. Zabuza had the advantage of superior mass, but HK was not bound by natural laws and his thin limbs were capable of much more strength that their appearance suggested. Though they were putting all of their strength into many blows, neither was able to overcome the other. It would be a battle of attrition, with each side wearing down the other until only one remained.

Zabuza's body was littered with countless minor cuts and gashes, as well as the reopening scar tissue on his chest from their last confrontation. Combined with his body still being sore and his arm being stiff and inflexible from its recent dislocation, the man was at a clear disadvantage.

HK meanwhile, was looking a little worse for the wear. His rust red chassis, long scarred by countless battles was now adorned with a number of new scratches, some that even scraped away the ancient paint and revealed the gray that the metal once was. For all the cosmetic damage however, the only wound with cause for concern was a thick slash across his left bicep that had somehow managed to dent the metal inward, hampering the Droid's movement significantly. A feat worthy of recognition, even from HK himself.

Still, even with the damage suffered on both parties, one fact was painfully obvious to both of them; Zabuza was slowing down, and HK was not. His movements were becoming clumsier and more and more attacks were slipping through his guard that he could have defended against at the beginning. The fight wasn't going to last much longer.

**XxXxXxX**

- Gato's Fortress : Mercenaries -

The gathered village militia could only watch on in a terrifying combination of awe, fear, and satisfaction as the 'impenetrable' fortress was practically bombarded with a cascade of red beams that devastated everything they came into contact with. Stone, metal, and even flesh had a clean hole punched through it where the red beam hit. While not a single one felt that the mercenaries inside deserved mercy for the way they had treated the village through their imposition, did they really deserve what was being given them? One look at the people beside them and the memory of their family was the reassurance they needed however, and they turned back to watch the attack.

Bombarded from four sides by the highly lethal attacks, the mercenaries inside had panicked and tried to escape from the various exits. Those trying to leave from the main doors were gunned down without remorse and it wasn't long before the men had stopped trying to run and had instead fled to the center of the floors in the sky scraper. The middle rooms of each floor were the only regions the blasts couldn't seem to reach, only being capable of penetrating one or two layers of material before stopping.

In his penthouse style business room, Gato was cowering in fear inside his wall safe. The only place he had deemed good enough to protect him from the chaos raging around him. He was currently sharing the room with fifteen of the best men under his command. Well tempered in battle and highly skilled in their chosen weapons. Still, even their noteworthy ability wouldn't have been enough to protect them from those damned bolts of light, so they had retreated to the top floor to protect their employer. They weren't about to risk their lives just for their paycheck to die after all.

Eventually the gap between shots grew longer, as did the time between screams of pain, and things grew quiet. The veterans on the top floor didn't trust it though. They didn't get to be as old as they were in their field by being stupid, and they stayed were they were. Away from the windows and behind as much cover as they could manage. Gato however, was not a mercenary. He was used to having things done when he wanted them to be and not a moment after.

"Hey! What's going on out there? Are... are they gone?"

Some of the older men shared looks at the expense of their employer and ignored him, opting instead to try and listen for any audible signs outside. The youngest of the group didn't have such inhibitions.

"Yeah, I guess so. There haven't been any shots in a couple of minutes I mean. If they were still out there they would still be shooting, right?"

Finding someone that was receptive to his orders, Gato was quick to jump on the opportunity and he felt his bluster return.

"Well don't just stand there like a moron! Go check!"

"W-what? Like, look out the window!"

The others sighed as the kid's voice cracked in his panic. He couldn't have been more than nineteen. Already he was starting to crack under the pressure though. Some people, most people, weren't truly cut out for the work he had chosen for himself, for whatever reason. This meant nothing to the corrupt business tycoon though, and Gato sneered at the young man.

"Yes look out the damn window. They're probably gone after all, right?"

The kid swallowed and stepped forward on shaking legs. He could taste the fear that coated the back of his throat, and he jerked when one of the older men lay a hand on his shoulder. In an attempt to save face before his ''superiors', the boy shook it off and straightened his back in a show of confidence that he didn't really feel. The distance between him and the window was short, barely a couple of yards, but it felt like he had walked a mile on his way there. Every pair of eyes followed him, some showing pity, others confidence, and still others were saddened at the foolishness on the part of their shared employer that might very well cost the young man his life.

When he finally got to the window he pressed his back tightly against the wall, making sure to keep his body out of view from anyone looking in. A deep breath to steady his nerves and a short prayer to whoever was listening was all preparation he allowed himself before he ducked his head around the corner. He glanced quick, barely gaining his bearings before returning to the relative safety of the wall.

"I-I don't see anything. I think they might really be gone."

His nervous excitement only made Gato sneer again.

"Well then if you are so sure, why don't you check again?"

The boy nodded and inhaled deeply again before looking around the window, slower this time. In a jerking motion, ready to draw his head back in the second anything moved, he surveyed the area. Everything was quiet on the streets below and he didn't see anyone on the rooftops, in the windows, or even on the streets. It really did look clear.

He sighed and released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"It's true! They're gone, it's ove-"

He didn't hear the shot, nor see the beam of light that punched a clean hole through the wall behind him. The shot was clean and precise and vaporized his heart easily. He was dead before he hit the ground.

**XxXxXxX**

- Tazuna's Home : Kakashi -

Unsure of what to expect when he arrived at Tazuna's family home, Kakashi didn't waste any time in his arrival. If on the off chance Gato _had_ targeted Tsunami and Inari while the rest of them were at the bridge, he didn't want to get there too late. The trip took him only a few minutes, but he was also pumping Chakra into his leg muscles the entire run.

When he finally got there, his first instinct was to call out to the woman and her child, but he stopped when he saw Tsunami in the window, hands pressed against her mouth in horror. Before he could enter the house he heard a loud crash and a man in a white jacket and purple hat came _flying _out of the house by means of a wall that had previously been... hole-less.

"Organic, I would suggest you put down the sword before I put it down for you."

"Y-you stay away from me! I'll kill you!"

Kakashi could almost _hear_ the mocking tone in the voice of the Droid inside the house, and he couldn't help grinning.

"Oh, you are going to kill me? You mean like your friend did? Here, let me show you how it's done."

The Jonin made a break for the door in an attempt to stop the Droid from killing the man in front of Tsunami, but before he could get there a bolt of red streaked out from the hole in the wall. For a second there was silence, but the slightly smoking body that fell backwards through the same hole disturbed the picture. With a righteous fury he turned the corner and glared at the artificial assassin as well as he could with only one eye.

"What the hell do you think you are doing! You can't just kill someone like that right in front of a civilian! You could have taken him out easily without just slaughtering him!"

The -50's head cocked slightly and he lowered the rifle it still held in it's hands.

"My primary function is to facilitate communications and terminate hostilities. When he refused to communicate, I terminated him. I don't see the problem here."

"The problem? The problem is that you can't just go around killing-"

"What? Innocent people? Harmless people? This pathetic excuse for an organic was neither. He had a sword. He had used it to hurt people before, and he was planning to do it again. With his death countless are saved. So I as you again. What is the problem?"

While Kakashi may have disagreed with the blunt way the machine said it, he couldn't disagree. Still, he was steadfast in his conviction that the Droid shouldn't have done what he did, and he planned to have words with Naruto about it later. First he needed to take care of Tsunami.

Said woman was still in the kitchen with her hands covering her mouth in abject horror. When she felt an arm slide around her shoulders, her first instinct was to flinch away but right afterward she turned into it and pressed her face into the man's chest.

Tsunami sobbed quietly into him for a few minutes, just letting out the fear and horror at what she had just witnessed while the Droid just stood outside, keeping an eye on the perimeter. When she was finished she hiccuped and drew away from Kakashi, wiping her eyes.

"I know that he was going to kill me, and I was so scared for Inari being left alone, but the way that... that thing just..."

She rubbed her eyes again to stop the tears, and Kakashi patted her shoulder awkwardly.

"It's alright. It's never easy the first time you watch someone die. Just remember that if it wasn't him it would have been you or possibly Inari."

"I know, and you're right. It's just... it's just so sudden."

"I understand, but right now Inari needs you. I need to get back to the bridge and protect my team, okay?"

"Yes, of course. You go. I'm sure we'll be fine."

Kakashi shot a glance at the HK-50 and nodded before taking off via the shunshin, hoping to get back to his team before something terrible happened.

Kakashi had only been gone for minutes when Inari came running downstairs, yelling for his Mom. Panicking with the thought that something had happened to him, Tsunami was relieved when he was unhurt.

"What! What's wrong?"

"Mom, there's some really weird things going on on the other side of town. There are these red flashes and stuff blowing up, all by Gato's building!"

"That would be my brothers and your rebellion attacking the fortress. They must have been given the order, lucky slag heaps."

Both the boy and mother stared at the Droid in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Well they get to fight while I am stuck here protecting you two. Though I _did_ get to kill those two 'assassins', so I guess today wasn't a total loss."

"You mean the war is going on right now!"

The Droid nodded.

"Yes. Didn't you wonder why the three humans from earlier and the old drunk one are gone?"

"My Father is GONE!"

At this point the -50 was entirely confused and it's eyes were dimming and brightening in quick succession.

"I'm... starting to think I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

His words were ignored since Tsunami had ran into the front room to grab her coat and Inari had followed her, asking if his grandfather was going to be alright.

"Yes, don't worry! He's going to be fine. I'm just going to go check up on him and make sure he is okay. Now I need you to stay here with the guard so you will be safe okay?"

Her declaration was quickly followed by shouts of protests both by her son, but the Droid as well.

"Ma'am, I'm going to ha-"

"-'s my grandpa too, and I wan-"

"-protect you if you are in sepera-"

"-need me? I can help!"

"-to be together!"

The stress of the situation coupled with the fear and anger she had felt so recently was enough for Tsunami to lose her temper, and she yelled at both Inari and the Droid before her, trying to give her orders.

"SHUT UP and listen! Fine, if you have to guard both of us you better to a _damn _good job of keeping my son safe, do you understand? And Inari, you are going to stay right between me and it and stay safe. You are going to do _exactly_ what I say the second I say it, alright?"

"Okay, Kaasan!"

The Droid seemed like it was going to protest, but it hesitated as it thought about the situation. He had simply been ordered to stay behind and protect Inari and Tsunami. The order to keep them safe was more important than his order to stay in the house. If they were to go downtown toward the fighting, he would be obligated to follow to keep them out of danger. Plus there were more people for him to shoot closer to the battle than there were right there. For a moment he considered telling the woman that her father was actually with his Master's team but decided against it. He wasn't lying, really. The woman had assumed the worst and he had yet to assuage her fears. There was nothing wrong with that.

"Alright, fine. Your suggestion is agreeable. I must insist however, that you remain by my side so I can protect you both at all times."

Tsunami hadn't even been paying attention to the Droid while he was thinking or speaking, instead she was putting her jacket on and making sure Inari was bundled up safely. Her plan was to get close enough to the action to slip away from the Droid and check on her father to make sure he was okay. He hadn't told her he was planning on being at the fight, and for good reason as well. She would have gone off on him if he had! She wasn't about to let her family die in some battle that other people were more than ready to win without them.

With her plan made and her son as safe as he could be, she left the house and set off towards Gato's fortress as quickly as she could while carrying her son in her arms. She pointedly ignored the voice in the back of her head warning her that she was making a terrible mistake. She had to make sure her father was safe.

**XxXxXxX**

- Bridge : Sasuke -

Sasuke was having the time of his life. While individually the two enemy nin were no threat to a ninja of his caliber, together their teamwork was impressive. Finally he had a challenge that he could win. While it infuriated him that he stood no chance against someone like Zabuza, he was willing to accept it. For now at least.

In the meantime he was working on taking out these jokers, who were obsessed with the idea of mauling him with their wicked gauntlets. Plus they kept trying to kill the old man as well, which was starting to piss him off. He took comfort in the thought that he was still handling his opponents better than Naruto was, who at some point had called out to him for help. He hadn't been able to spare a glance to find out what he was yelling about, but it couldn't have been that bad. Especially since he could still hear the sounds of their fight.

His thoughts were interrupted when the two brothers leaped at each other and met halfway in mid-air. With some kind of crazy flip/twist/something or other one brother launched the other one towards him with surprising speed. A quick step to the side and roundhouse kick effectively ruined the attack and sent his opponent crashing to the ground. While keeping an eye on the other, Sasuke watched the prone body for a few moments to make sure he didn't get up.

With an outraged cry the remaining sibling charged and Sasuke smirked. The fight had just gotten exponentially easier. This joker didn't stand a chance.

**XxXxXxX**

- Gato's Fortress : Rebels -

"It would seem that the organics are finally learning. They have retreated to the center of the complex and are hiding in their holes. Our blaster rifles are becoming inefficient."

"_Excellent, then everything is going to plan. Fire a few warning shots at the survivors and return to your assigned squads. Make ready to storm the fortress as soon as I arrive. Oh and Red-2, do take care to remember who the hostiles and who the allies are, would you? I don't want a repeat of last time."_

"...affirmative."

The HK-50 Droid closed his end of the radio transmission. Whatever was going on on the Master's end of the transmission must be intense, because he sounded hurried and... under attack. Hopefully he would be okay. The collective -50 consciousness had started to become accustomed to Naruto's presence, orders, and even personality so it would be irksome to have to do so again with a _new_ Master. With a silent laugh he turned to the rebel leader standing next to him.

"Well, the survivors have taken cover. This is where you and your men come in. Are you ready for this, human?"

Shumei nodded weakly, but swallowed and steeled himself.

"Yeah, we are ready to end this once and for all."

"Good. We are just waiting for the Master and his team to finish up with what they are working on and then the final assault can begin. It shouldn't be too much longer."

"Alright, I want this over with as soon as possible."

The -50 turned away, surveying the building under siege.

"As do we all, human. As do we all."

**XxXxXxX**

- Bridge : HK-47 -

HK-47 could hardly contain himself, he was having so much fun. It was the first time in centuries he had fought _anyone_ as vicious and dangerous as this 'Demon' before him. Even a few Jedi he had fought back in the day had been weaker than he was. It was brilliant!

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and Zabuza was definitely a good thing. With every passing minute and every blow struck his form became sloppier. Light, testing attacks darted past his defenses and scored more streaks across his chest, now covered in like wounds. His mask had long since been cut away and his jaw full of sharpened teeth were visible, snarling and bleeding. A particularly cruel slash had left a long gash along his right eye, going down and blinding him with his own blood, though it was impossible to tell if the eye was still functional or not. If it wasn't, Zabuza wasn't letting it impede him any.

With what was no doubt a large amount of his remaining physical and Chakra reserve, Zabuza swung his sword in a wide arc for maximum momentum, a final gambit to cleave HK in two. A tactic that had proved effective in the past. This time it was not to be, as HK deflected it with his vibrosword. Wide open and defenseless, Zabuza had no way to soften the haymaker that followed.

Though he may have been partially out of it thanks to a combination of physical fatigue, multiple bleeding ones-including a reopened one from not too long ago-, and Chakra exhaustion from using a number of high level water techniques as well as countless clones, it didn't mean his eyes and cognitive thinking didn't work. He had plenty of time to see the hard metal fist coming to meet his face. He had plenty of time to think on how much damage it was going to do to his already heavily marred visage. He had plenty of time to think about how much it was going to hurt. What he didn't count on however, was the strength behind it. The blow not only shattered his jaw where it struck, it practically ripped it out.

Still, Zabuza wasn't one to die easily. He had known for a long time that he wouldn't live to see retirement. Few ninjas did and even less missing-nin. He had decided after his coup had failed that when he died it would be in the middle of a battle with a superior opponent and spitting bleeding congratulations into his conqueror's face. It's just a pity that HK-47 didn't share the same sentiment. When the thick red globule struck the Droid's photoreceptors, his eyes brightened sadistically.

"**Condescending Remark : **Now why would you go and do something like that, hm? I was going to kill you easily too, but then you had to go and make me mad."

Zabuza was unable to do anything in resistance when HK rolled him over onto his stomach, lying on the arm that hadn't previously been dislocated. The one that _had _however, was in easy reach of the Droid. With an agonizing slowness, HK gripped his defeated opponent's wrist and twisted it slightly, lifting so it was at a bad angle for the man lying in the blood-sodden dirt. The Droid put one taloned foot on Zabuza's back, directly next to his shoulder, and leaned down to whisper into the man's ear quietly.

"**Sarcastic Request : **Could you do me a favor? One of your blows seems to have impaired my hearing. Do you think you could scream nice and loud for me, so I can hear it clearly?"

The man closed his eyes and bit his tongue, determined not to give the sadistic monstrosity the satisfaction of hearing him scream. He would have been disappointed with himself, had he been conscious.

**XxXxXxX**

- Bridge : Naruto -

While his initial plan had been to wait until the girl tired from Chakra loss of the technique she was sustaining, it seemed to be taking forever. At least ten minutes had passed since she had began and she was only just starting to slow down! Hell, he had even had time to give orders to the -50s, who had called in while he was still trying to protect himself from the deadly needle-rain. He had never been happier to wear his armor, honestly.

Still, when the girl showed no signs of stopping any time soon, he decided it was as good a time as any to press the attack. Sheltering his vulnerable eyes from the needles as best he could with only one arm, Naruto lashed out with the other with a powerful concussive blast of the Force. Despite the energy behind the attack though, the mirror he had targeted only shook and creaked, but didn't break or even crack. Whatever they were made out of, it was more than simple ice or glass.

'Shit, how the hell am I supposed to break those stupid mirrors? Push doesn't work, my knives won't do anything, and my Master's haven't taught me any techniques other than that and...'

For a moment he honestly wanted to hit himself for being such a moron. He had in his disposal two particularly useful techniques that if combined were exactly what he needed to change the situation for the better.

Easily connecting to the Force within him, Naruto threw up a barrier much more powerful than the one he had used against Sasuke's Katon technique, especially since he had had plenty of time to practice since then. Sure enough, the bubble was strong enough to repel the steel needle-rain for a short while, though he didn't necessarily want to test it out during such dire circumstances.

Using the break afforded to him by the defensive technique, Naruto channeled his energy inward to a technique he had only ever seen and used in his dreams.

Haku was confused. No one had ever been able to survive his Demon Mirrors before! Ever! Even Zabuza-sama had admitted that he would be hard-pressed to escape such a technique if it was used against him. Despite that though, this boy was simply shrugging it off. It may have been in part, or exclusively, due to the fact that whatever armor the boy was wearing under his clothes was completely impenetrable. The only vulnerable area she had been able to discern was the face, but he was protecting it with his arms and she couldn't get a clear shot.

Still, she hadn't been thrown off and she kept up the attack in the hopes that he would make a mistake at some point, and she could exploit it for everything it was worth. Just when she was starting to think it was impossible, he had gone and done... whatever it was he had done. She felt some kind buzzing sensation that made her hairs stand on end, and then the air around the boy had rippled and suddenly her needles couldn't even _touch_ the boy. Instead they were being stopped in mid-air!

As though it were all part of some master plan, the kid had stood up, brushed himself off, and closed his eyes while building the same kind of energy she had just felt, though this time it seemed... darker. Whatever he was doing, she doubted it would be good for her, so she redoubled her attacks. She didn't have much time left either. She was already slowing down and she had almost stumbled more than once. The drain of her Ice Mirrors was far heavier than she would ever let anyone except Zabuza know, and it was tiring her out quickly. Hopefully she could break his damned bubble before he finished that technique of his before her Chakra gave out.

After a few agonizingly long seconds of preparation, Naruto finally felt himself ready to call upon the technique taught to him by his forbidden Master. The shadows seemed to crawl out of the very soil around him to meet his hand. He could feel a dark coldness when they traveled along his arm to focus at the center of his palm before pulsing outward, growing longer and solidifying. After a suitable amount of time, Naruto broke the defensive technique surrounding him and popped his neck, brandishing his Spear of Midnight Black proudly. Turns out the training in his mind carried over into his body after all.

With a fast lunge, Naruto closed the distance between himself and the mirror closest to him. A single sharp thrust was all it took for the foul energy of the Spear to penetrate and shatter the mutated energy of the Chakra construct that made up Haku's Ice Mirror. Just as Haku began to despair, Naruto began to grin. Oh yeah, now it was party time.

Haku could only watch on in fear and terror as one by one the blond before her destroyed each and every one of her Ice Mirrors effortlessly. With each one that was broken, her technique weakened as did her ability to travel between them. Eventually she couldn't even do that and she had no choice but to abandon the technique. When she jumped from the last mirror, her position was enough for her to have a clear view of her Master and Idol's own fight. He was on his knees, bleeding heavily with an almost defeated air about him. She couldn't watch for long as Naruto was still attacking her with that spear of his that he had conjured out of nowhere, and she jumped back. As she evaded the blow however, she could have swore that Zabuza had just been knocked down by a vicious punch, courtesy of that red thing he had been fighting.

Naruto saw Haku see what was going on in the fight between their separate friends, and his heart broke for the girl, but he didn't know what to do for her. Zabuza was not going to give up and neither was HK. Their fight was one to the death, and Zabuza was going to lose. Plain and simple. Hoping to distract her before she was forced to watch what was coming, he dispelled his spear and charged at the girl, shoulders down and protecting his vitals with his arms just like Kyle had taught him. Haku panicked at his frenzied approach and threw wave after wave of needles at him. Against his armor however, they simply bounced off, and he closed the distance easily.

His tackle caught her dead center, and she collapsed under his weight easily. Using his superior body mass to his advantage, Naruto pinned her to the ground and stared forcefully into her eyes, connecting to the Force while doing so.

"Haku, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

As she stared into his eyes, she could hardy understand his words before she felt her consciousness slip away as though someone had pulled a plug somewhere in her mind. The last thing she heard before she went under was a familiar voice crying out in shattering agony. A cry that sent a wave of pain through her that she hadn't felt in so many years.

**XxXxXxX**

- Bridge : Sasuke -

Sasuke drug the unconscious body of Gozu over to his brother and lay them side by side. Together in defeat, the Uchiha took the moment afforded him to smirk victoriously. Once again those weaker than him were on the ground at his feet while he stood tall. Everyone he was protecting was still safe too! How's _that_ for an achievement?

He glanced around to check up on his two non-combatant charges and was pleased to note that they were, in fact, both still alive and healthy. He was also somewhat surprised to see that Kakashi had returned already and was apparently just sitting back and watching the show. He took no small amount of satisfaction in knowing that his Jonin Sensei hadn't seen fit to step in and interfere, meaning he had the situation fully under control.

He already knew that of course, it was just good to know that _Kakashi_ knew it as well.

With his gloating over personal victories over, Sasuke finally deemed it fit to check up on his final teammate and his good mood bled away. There in the boy's hand was some kind of weapon he had never seen the blond carry before, nor use. A long spear, completely black with a cruel twisted head at the end. The boy was using it with a fair amount of skill to shatter a large dome of mirrors composed entirely of ice, each of which had a reflection of Haku in it.

Sure he was surprised to see that Haku was actually a girl, but he also smirked to himself when it meant that Naruto was having problems, or had been at least, fighting a girl. Still, regardless of whatever had been going on earlier, it was obvious that he was wrapping up the fight.

His attention was ripped away from the odd sight of Naruto straddling the girl and staring at her when a piercing cry split the air. With a jerk he turned to the fight he _should_ have been watching. That between Naruto's red slave and Zabuza himself. The end of the fight was more than clear, Zabuza was lying face down in a pool of his own blood with an arm completely ripped out of its socket and dangling wetly, still attached by a strip of ligaments. That fight was over, and Zabuza wasn't getting back up.

Sasuke forced himself to rip his gaze from the bloody view when Kakashi called out to him, and he dragged the Demon Brothers along with him, dropping them next to where Naruto laid Haku gingerly.

"Alright you guys, I knew you could handle it and I'm glad that I was right. You all did really well in your fights and assignments, and I'm proud of all of you. Now, why don't you secure those three and we head downtown and see what we missed, yeah?"

Tying the three up was no problem thanks to their unconscious state, and Naruto felt more than comfortable handing them over to HK-47 to take back to Tazuna's house, though Kakashi eyed him strangely. With the Droid transporting the prisoners back to the safe house, the rest of them packed up and started for the city at a pace quick enough to arrive soon and leisurely enough for the two boys to recover from the exhaustion nagging at their limbs.

The peaceful pace was not to last however, when Naruto's comm link barked to life.

"**Warning : **Master, the guard, Inari, and Tsunami are all missing. There are signs of a struggle, though there are two dead bodies that are obviously some of Gato's men here. **Suggestion : **It might be logical to assume that they have departed to check the situation downtown, as I didn't see them on my way here."

Naruto's eyes flared up with fear and worry and he swore loudly to himself before fueling his legs with as much Force energy as he felt comfortable using. While he ran he gave HK the order to stay with the prisoners and await orders there. He barely had time to switch channels before he was talking to the -50s, giving them the order to attack immediately. He didn't tell them why the change in plan, and they didn't ask.

Kakashi saw his wild card student dart off, and he followed easily, gaining in seconds.

"Naruto! What do you think you are doing? You need to stay with the team!"

Naruto's frenzied pace didn't slow at all, though the look in his eye spoke volumes when he turned to look at Kakashi.

"They've gone to the city!"

The Jonin didn't need to ask who, he simply slowed down to inform Sasuke and Sakura, and to lift Tazuna and start running with him, clearing ground much faster than the old man could alone. While he didn't know exactly why Naruto was as scared as he was, he knew that a war zone was no place for a kid and his untrained mother.

**XxXxXxX**

- Gato's Fortress : Rebels -

When their Master's order came through, the Droid's wasted no time in informing those under their charge. As one the four units funneled into the building and followed their separate paths through the building, taking out the stragglers that had either survived the attack or had managed to hide and wait it out. The occasional ambush set up by the waiting mercenaries was easily countered, thanks to the superior armor and weapons the men and women had been gifted with. Many of Wave's invaders died with a stunned expression when their swords failed to penetrate the thin armor, and when their own weapons were sheared in half easily with the humming swords of their enemies.

If things continued going this well, the battle could be over without a single casualty! That was a thought that spurred on those fighting for their very homes, encouraged already by their success. The battle march continued onward to the staircase leading to the top floor. Gato's business room. Rebel guards had been placed outside each entrance to watch for anyone trying to leave, ensuring that Gato could not have slipped past them. He was definitely in there, and they were going to bring him out.

Inside his business room, Gato and the last surviving mercenaries were all that remained of their once ample forces. For the last fifteen minutes the gathered men had been forced to listen to their comrades die by those damned blasts. Judging by the way the sounds had gotten louder before cutting out completely, whoever was eliminating their men was getting closer.

"Gato-san, they are almost here. If you have anything planned, I would suggest you do it now because they will be here soon."

The short business man was in a near panic at this point, and he was sweating heavily. The scarred mercenary that was in his face giving him orders wasn't helping him either.

"What! What do you want me to do? Do you think I have some hidden weapon here somewhere, you moron!"

"No sir, but maybe we should start thinking about lasting effects."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"My friend is the best archer you will ever see. If we can manage to hide him in your safe well enough, we can leave him up here while we are taken prisoner. When they take us outside their leader will come out to see us. When they do, he will take the shot. Their leader will not live to see sunset."

Though the idea sounded good to Gato, he still frowned and narrowed his eyes.

"And the rest of us?"

The mercenary's shrug wasn't reassuring, but he didn't really have much of a choice.

"Fine, do it. But your man had better not fail."

"Don't worry, he won't."

The necessary preparations were made, and when they heard the sounds of heavy footsteps on the metal stairs leading to the door, each one of them in the room tightened their grip on their swords. They might not survive, but they weren't going down without a fight, that much was for damn sure.

Naruto's team arrived at the Rebel's main camp about the same time as Tsunami and her -50 guard. Kakashi allowed Tazuna to drop to the ground hastily, thanks to the rather sickly green tinge he was sporting. While Tazuna was trying to fight his heaves, Naruto approached Tsunami's guard in a rage.

"What the _hell _do you think you are doing here? I told you to stay at the house and protect Tsunami and Inari!"

The Droid refused to be cowed and stood proud, staring right back at his irate Master.

"I am protecting them. You never ordered them to stay, and it is my duty to make sure they are safe. I couldn't do that if I was still at their home and they weren't now, could I?"

For a moment Sasuke thought Naruto was going to use his strange powers to rip the machine in half, but the boy just took a deep breath and palmed his face.

"Yeah, I guess that's right. I wasn't specific enough. But still, do you honestly think that a BATTLE ZONE is a suitable place for a kid and his mother!"

"Well... uh..."

"No? I didn't think so. Get out of my sight. I swear, if anything happens to those two because of their presence, I will make an example of you. Do you understand me?"

The -50 nodded in a jerking motion and Naruto stormed away from it before he destroyed it outright. Not for the first time, it started to wonder if it had made a terrible mistake.

The moment she saw Team Seven arrive with Kakashi carrying her father on his back, she had put Inari on his feet and ran to meet him. Her first instinct was to hug the him, but Kakashi's warning was enough to stop her from doing anything to further instigate Tazuna's nausea.

"Father, what's wrong? Why do you look so ill?"

The old man just laughed weakly and waved her off.

"I'm fine, just not used to seeing the ground and trees whiz by that fast. These ninjas can run pretty fast when they want to, I"ll tell you that."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head and smiled with one eye, crinkling upwards.

"Mah, sorry about that but we had to hurry and you would have slowed us down. We weren't sure if Tsunami was in danger or not, after all."

"Actually, that's a thought. Why _are _you here? Shouldn't you be at the house, safe?"

Now that she was sure her father was safe and sound, she felt herself starting to get weak again.

"Two men came after you had left. Swordsmen sent by Gato, I think. They... they were going to kill Inari! That Droid killed them both, but when they showed up I was so afraid. I started thinking about how hurt you might be and that I wouldn't be able to help you if you were. Then the Droid said something about the fight in the city, and that you were gone, and I assumed the worst!"

Tazuna drew his daughter into his arms when she started to cry again, and he rubbed her back comfortingly. She had barely calmed down when an out of breath messenger ran up to them.

"They did it! They captured Gato and they're bringing him out now!"

Everyone in the gathered group looked at each other quickly before following the messenger back through the crowds.

Naruto stood proudly as the two surviving mercenaries and Gato were brought under heavy guard. One HK-50 Droid was walking behind each with a blaster rifle practically digging into their neck. The seriousness of the situation was reinforced when one of the hapless men tried to escape. His break for freedom was ended quickly and brutally when his guardian dropped him with a clean shot to the back. After that the two remaining were docile and followed their commands without struggle.

Gato and his last mercenary were brought before Naruto, and with a swift kick to the back of the leg, they were brought to their knees before him. The fear in the man's face drained away quickly when he saw that the person in front of him was only a young man.

"You? You're the one that these jokers answer to? You're just some piss-ant kid!"

Naruto's punch could have broken his nose for all he knew, and for the first time in many years Gato tasted his own blood. His rage outweighed his anger, and Gato screamed at him.

"You son of a bitch! Don't you know who I am!"

The boy leaned down and clamped his fist around Gato's chin.

"Yeah, I do. But you don't know who I am. I am the guy who got sick and tired of your shit and gave these people the equipment they needed to drive you out of their city and defend their home. I am the one who will help these people rebuild everything you have destroyed, and I am the one who will make sure they are protected from now on."

His words only made Gato smile cruelly.

"Oh yeah? And who's going to protect you?"

"**Warning : **Master! There is a sniper still in the building!"

The warning came to late for Naruto to throw up a defense and the Droid's were too far away from him to block the shaft. Even then, it wouldn't matter. The chances of the shot being enough to penetrate his chest plate was little to none. He knew that, his Droid's knew that, and every rebel that had been gifted with his armor knew that. Hell even Inari knew that since he had been present when Naruto had shown off what it could do that morning. The only ones who didn't know were Gato, his mercenary, the sniper in the tower, and...

"No!"

His head snapped to the side at Tsunami's cry, and he was horrified to see her jumping between him and the faceless shooter in the building behind Gato. The short distance between him and her was enough for her to position herself in front of him before the bolt reached him, but even as he reached out to knock her out of the way, he knew it was too late.

The crossbow bolt punched through her ribcage but stopped before exiting, though the tip could be seen through her back. The world seemed to slow down for Naruto at that moment. He didn't hear someone's cry for a medic. Nor did he hear Inari's scream for his mother. He barely even registered the sound of a blaster shot close to his ear, indicating HK-47 firing at the sniper. The only thing he could feel was the warm wetness that now coated his hands, the blood that was pouring from the wound. The bolt had gone straight through her lung, and he could already tell from the way her Force Aura was dimming that she wouldn't be alive when the medic arrived.

She was too weak to say anything, but her expression said it all. The fear and sadness for both herself and her son broke Naruto's heart, and for the first time in a while he didn't know what to do.

Inari cried out when he saw his mother get shot, and he rushed to her side as quickly as he could.

"Mom? Mom!"

He shook her arm, trying to wake her up but her skin was so cold!

"Mom! Wake up! You gotta wake up! We won Mom, we won."

"I—Inari. My baby boy..."

The boy didn't bother trying to wipe away the tears streaming down his face.

"Please be okay, Mom. I need you! Grandpa needs you!"

His mother smiled softly and patted his cheek, smearing blood along his face and mixing it with the hot tears.

"I know baby. I'm so sorry. But you have to be strong now, okay?"

Inari shook his head fiercely, denying the stupid things his Mom was saying. She was going to be okay, she just needed to stop talking like she wasn't.

"I'm... I'm so proud of you, sweetie. You've grown into such a big boy, and I'm so proud to be your mother."

Tsunami winced as she coughed violently, trying to clear the fluids building up in her lung. It was getting hard to breath and every spasm sent jolts of pain through her entire body.

"I know you'll be fine. Wave is free now. You can be happy and safe!"

"Mom, I'll never be happy if you go!"

The young woman smiled gently, rubbing her son's cheek again before she lost the strength to keep her arm elevated.

"I love you, Inari-kun. Take... take care of your grandfather, okay?"

The boy nodded, unable to speak anymore. Still, even though his throat hurt and he felt like he was going to throw up everything he had ever eaten, he tried to be strong for his mother.

"I know, I love you too Mom. And so does Grandpa. I love you!"

His words grew in volume to a scream when his mother's grip weakened and her hand went slack. With his heart ripping, he watched as the familiar light in his mother's eyes flickered and died, leaving hollow orbs in it's place.

"Mom? Mom! Somebody, please! You gotta help me!"

As though responding only to his cries, a number of men and woman all crowded around him and his mother, trying to save the young woman's life. A cold pair of rust red, metal arms lifted him up and away from his Mother, and he screamed and bit and clawed at them as hard as he could. It was all in vain, and when he was set back on his feet there was a thickening throng between him and his mother, who he had seen for the last time.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the face of Gato, who was trying to slip away through the confusion and escape. The only thing Inari saw though, was the cruel grin he had. He was happy! His mom was _dying_, and the bastard was happy!

With a rage he couldn't explain the young boy reached out to the Droid that taken from his mother, and he took the strange weapon attached to it's hip. The cold metal was heavy and foreign in his hands, but he had seen enough to know that he had to pull the trigger and point it to make that red beam come out of the other end, and that was enough. Adrenaline pumping through his veins and rage blinding him to everything but the fat bastard crawling away from his Mother, Inari ran as hard as he could.

"STOP!"

He wouldn't remember yelling the word, but he would _always_ remember the look of fear on Gato's face when he turned to face Inari. Like when he had faced Naruto before him, Gato grinned when he saw the young boy.

"Are all you damn rebels kids? How the hell did those damn mercenaries lose?"

"Shut up! You killed my Mom!"

He pointed the weapon at Gato, but the man just kept grinning.

"I wasn't the one to make the shot, but you know what? I wish I was! I wish I could have seen the look on that _whore's_ face when she-"

The man's malicious words were silenced when the blaster shot rang out, clear as day. Gato's triumphant grin slowly turned to one of horror and then agony as he cradled the gore that had previously been his stomach.

"She didn't do anything and you killed her!"

The boy fired again, and the shot hit Gato in one leg, burning straight through to the bone. The man's face was a sickly pale now, and he had yet to make a sound except throaty gurgling.

"It's your FAULT!"

The boy kept squeezing the trigger, watching as those beautiful red beams reached out again and again to hit the man and everything around him. He wasn't sure how long he was shooting before the gun was wrenched from his hands and he was thrown to the side, but when he was he didn't have the strength to resist. Inari felt an exhaustion invade him that he had never felt before, and all he wanted to do was fall asleep and never wake up. Even the hard dirt felt soft when he hit it, and he didn't even bother to open his eyes. Someone might have said something to him, but he didn't know who it was. He didn't care either, his mom was dead. Nothing mattered now.

**XxXxXxX**

- Bridge : ? -

A dark figure approached the broken and bloodied body that had once been Momochi Zabuza, the proud Demon of the Bloody Mist. His thick cloak whipped violently in the heavy breeze, and his boots squelched thickly in the blood-soaked earth. He knelt beside the body and placed a hand on the corpse's back. He made a quiet noise of satisfaction to himself and a red energy reached out from his hand toward the body. As though prompted by the malicious haze, Zabuza's skin near the worst of the wounds twitched and wavered before reaching out to close the gap and mend together. In moments the life threatening wounds were closed and Zabuza's chest jerked as near-dead lungs filled with air once more.

"Awaken, Demon."

Zabuza grunted painfully as he returned to consciousness. He tried to wipe the blood from his face and check the damage to his jaw, but his right arm was refusing to obey him. Fighting his exhaustion, he turned his head to the side and he grunted again when he saw the bloody hole that where his arm used to be.

Before he could continue his self-analysis, a strange tremor ran through him, and he pushed himself to his feet, regardless of his own will. The only way he could explain it, was as if his body knew he had to do something that his mind didn't. Gritting his teeth through the agony, Zabuza forced himself to stand and braced himself so he wouldn't fall, his remaining arm grasping at his shoulder.

Only when he was on his feet did he realize he was not alone. Whoever stood before him must have been the one to revive him. He had been at the brink of death and he knew it. There was no way he could have survived the fight without extravagant measures, let alone in the same pool of blood he had passed out in. This man had something to do with it, and he needed to know what.

"What... what have you done?"

"I have saved your life, Demon. That makes it mine. Kneel."

The command tore the energy he had felt from his legs, and he dropped down to his knees, bracing himself with his arm.

"Why... why do you do this? Why did you not let me die?"

"Because I need you to fight, Demon. This is something you have trained to do your entire life. You are born and bred to it, like no predator before you."

"You want me to find that red thing? And you want me to kill i-"

"No, that you shall not do. The Droid is only a pawn, nothing more. The real threat is the blond one your apprentice fought and failed to defeat."

"Haku! Is she..."

"No, she is not dead. She is with the one you will serve, and she will be taken care of. Of that you need not worry. As for the boy, you will not bring harm to him and if you do I shall break you. Even your strength and passion will not protect you if you bring harm to the boy, know this."

The man's voice was hard and left no room for compassion or negotiation. Zabuza could tell that he could do exactly what he promised, and that he wouldn't hesitate to follow through. Zabuza bowed his head under the pain of his wounds and the hatred he felt toward the man who would give him orders.

"Kill me. I cannot bear the weight of owing one my life. Kill me, or I swear I shall kill you."

His weakness prevented much of the malice to reach his voice, and he could practically _feel_ the man standing over him laughing.

"The life-debts of your people. I could feel it within you when I saved your life. Know this, unlike others, as long as you serve me faithfully I will never show you mercy. No pity. But above all this, I promise you an end to your debt. When the time will come, I will tell you what you shall do. When I have deemed you ready, I will release you from your debt. For now you shall come with me and I will prepare you for what is to come. You are pathetic, you are weak, but I will strengthen you."

Zabuza bit back a moan as a terrible tremor wracked his body. Every wound he had taken ached horribly, and he could still feel the blood leaking from the slash across his chest. For all his attempts at hiding his pain, the man above him noticed.

"The pain shall pass. I was able to heal some of the wounds, but the rest must remain. You will need that pain when you train, and it will give you strength for the fight yet to come."

Zabuza groaned, no choice but to accept his fate. The life-debts of the Seven Swordsmen demanded it of him. When the life of one of their own was saved by an outsider, they were sworn to serve that man or woman until they either saved their life in turn, or until the price had been paid in servitude or wage. His travels across Fire and Water countries had left him almost bankrupt and he was in no position to save his life, so his path was pre-chosen.

"Where... where are you taking me?"

"I will tell you where you must go. If you survive the journey, your path will become clear. But first, I must prepare you for what is to come."

Once more the strange red energy flowed from the cloaked figure, and this time Naruto wasn't unconscious to protect himself from the pain. For the second time that day, he announced his pain and rage to the world.

* * *

_A/N : _And voila, a special extra long chapter for the battle of the bridge. I hope I did it justice, though I can't help but feel disappointed with how it turned out. *Shrugs* Oh well, what can you do? Also, I want to apologize for the time it took to get this chapter out. It ended up being a _little_ bit longer than I had anticipated (By about five thousand words) but I hope that won't deduct from the experience too much. I am not sure how long subsequent chapters will take because I am going to be out trying to find work for the next... however long it takes me to find one. Wish me luck!

As always, feel free to review or drop me a P.M. If you want to discuss anything in the fic, though I'm not going to lose any sleep if you don't. I will probably go back and review this chapter in the next couple of days or so, so if you see any plot holes, leaps, or major grammatical boo-boos, I will hopefully have them fixed soon enough. As an additional side not, some of you might have noticed a couple of linked images on my profile page. Those will lead to some representations to help with imaging, in case you want to know what to see when I mention them. I will add to it as time goes on, so keep checking back. You never know.

_How will Naruto cope with the blood of an innocent on his hands? What effects will his mother's horrific death have on young Inari? Who was the robed man that saved Zabuza's life? And what is to become of Haku at the hands of Naruto and HK-47? ….okay, you know what? Forget that last question. Poor girl._

Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai Carpathia


	13. Reclamation

**Ch. 13: Reclamation**

_A/N: Establishing partnerships, making plans, and a triumphant farewell._

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

* * *

Though the battle was over, adrenaline still coursed through the veins of many of the rebels, and the courtyard of Gato's once terrifying fortress was the scene of celebration. Laughing, crying, shouts of victory filled the once solemn city streets as the denizens of Wave truly began to take in what they had accomplished.

Their oppression was over. They had fought overwhelming numbers and experience, and they had won. For the first time in almost fifteen years, Wave had reason to celebrate and despite their hungry bellies and sore bodies, every living person in the entire city rejoiced.

All but a few...

**XxXxXxX**

**- Villager's House: Naruto -**

Naruto sat beside the exhausted form of Inari, who lay sleeping. A kindly villager had allowed him to use their house and lay Inari on one of the beds there. The boy was obviously in no shape to journey the distance between his own house and the middle of the city, and Naruto had had no intention of just leaving him to sleep in the street. Not after everything he had been through in such a small amount of time.

He had been informed by HK that the boy had managed to steal his sidearm and used it to avenge his mother's death. A death that bore heavily on Naruto's conscience. Not only because the young mother had sacrificed herself worthlessly, but also because he could have prevented it in the first place.

The night prior to the battle, last night, he had been plagued by a single vision constantly replaying in his mind's eye. He, in a young boy's body, was cradling the body of his mother as she died in his arms. When he had awoken, he tried to make sense of it but was unable to come to a conclusion. It made no sense! He didn't even _have _a mother. His had died before he even had the chance to get to know her. The vision's true meaning only struck him when HK told him that Tsunami had gone to the city to find her father. With dawning horror, he realized it wasn't his mother he had seen die, it was Inari's!

The relief he had felt when he arrived at the towering fortress to see Tsunami safe was enough to make him feel weak, and he allowed himself to relax again. Now that he, Kakashi, and HK were here, there was no possible way she could die, right?

He sunk his head into his hands in shame at his actions. His own arrogance had led to the death of the most innocent woman he had ever known. She wasn't a kunoichi; she didn't lead the violent lifestyle of a ninja. She didn't even live in a ninja village! She was just a single mother doing her best to care for her young son and aging father through a time of crisis. She hadn't deserved to die, and especially not the way she had. And then there was Inari...

Without a doubt, this had been the greatest mistake he had ever made, and it was tearing him up inside. If only he had the chance to take it all back, to make everything better he would do it. No matter what the price, he would do whatever it took to give the young boy his mother and innocence back. It was only now that he realized how true his Sensei's words had really been.

As though called by the boy's thoughts, Naruto felt a weight on his shoulder and looked up to see Kakashi standing behind him, an arm outstretched.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei."

His Jonin instructor winced at the fatigue in the boy's voice, though he understood it well. He had served in the war himself, after all and he knew well the consequences.

"You know, everyone is asking about you. All the villager's want to know where their 'savior' is. A hero shouldn't get into the habit of making people wait for them. I hear tardiness is frowned upon in a lot of places."

Naruto laughed halfheartedly at the man's joke, but couldn't put everything behind it.

"I'm no hero; I couldn't even save Tsunami-san."

Kakashi sighed sadly. He had been expecting this from the beginning, if not the exact context. Naruto was obviously the type to accept the blame and guilt of every mistake on his own shoulders, even if it wasn't his fault. Just like he himself.

"Naruto, it isn't your fault. You can-"

"But Sensei, it _is_ my fault! I saw this happening, down to every detail! I could have stopped it, I could have..."

"You could have what? Forced her to stay home, away from her family? Tied her up and locked her in her own house for her own good? Or better yet, you could have put her in a suit of armor made entirely of bubble-wrap!"

Naruto frowned at his instructor, feeling he wasn't being serious enough.

"I'm being serious!"

"So am I. No matter how talented you are, no matter how strong you are. Hell, even if you can see the future like you are claiming you can, you won't be able to save everyone."

"Well why not? If I can see the future, I can change it! I could have made it so she didn't die."

Kakashi pulled up a chair beside him and sat down next to his student. The boy was distraught over what he saw as his failure, and he was on the brink of tears. The man wasn't entirely sure what to tell him, but he wasn't about to just sit back and let his student suffer.

"Naruto, just being able to _see_ the future doesn't mean you will be able to change it. Sure the future isn't set in stone, but we don't know what decisions we will have made for that situation to occur anyway. In some ways, that might even be worse. If the future was predetermined and you could see what was going to happen, we could just shatter that stone and prevent whatever would have happened from coming true. But at the same time, perhaps by changing the future, something horrible would come to pass. Something a thousand times worse than what _should_ have happened, but didn't because of our intervention."

The look Naruto was giving him told him that the boy was unconvinced, but Kakashi just sighed sadly.

"Look Naruto, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but things like this are always going to happen. It won't matter how well you do at something, even if you pull it off perfectly with no mistakes, something will still go wrong, and people will die. That is the price that comes with victory. There is simply no way around it. All we can do is plan, and prepare, and do everything humanely possible to reduce that price before it comes, but in the end it must be paid."

Even though he was widely known to be an elite Shinobi that was feared by hundreds, thousands, it didn't make Kakashi any better with social situations. When it came to something like this, he was just as unprepared and uncomfortable as anyone else. And for the first time since Obito's death, he found himself hating himself for it. He wanted nothing more than to be able to tell the boy exactly what he needed to hear to make him feel better, but he just didn't know what those words were. All he could do was lay a hand on the kid's shoulder and give him as much support as he could.

Naruto looked up at the man with such sorrow that Kakashi was reminded of something he hadn't thought in weeks. Despite his ability, and the intelligence he would show, Naruto was still just a boy doing his best to learn in a world that allowed no failure. Throwing his discomfort to the wind for the sake of his young student, Kakashi pulled Naruto into a tight hug and held him there. Naruto fought the hold for a moment feebly, but stopped resisting and just let himself relax. For the first time in more time than he could count, Naruto allowed himself to cry.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Outside House: HK-47 -**

After seeing Naruto walk into the house with the annoying young one passed out in his arms, HK had taken it upon himself to guard the doors in order to allow his Master time to rest and recuperate. It was obvious that he was suffering from mental exhaustion, and he wasn't about to let anyone in to make it worse until his Master was ready to deal with it. A hard-ass killing machine he might be, and proud of it at that, but he still knew how to serve when it came to human's needs. It helped with his assassination protocols to know how a Meatbag's mind worked, after all.

Shortly after he had blocked the doorway to stand guard, Naruto's Sensei had approached him, ordering him to allow him entrance. His main argument being that he 'Had the right to tend to his student, regardless of whether his pet killing machine wanted him to or not.' A compelling argument, he had to admit, which was the only reason he allowed the silver-haired man entrance. He could always kill him if things got out of hand. That made his processor glow happily.

In order to make things move along a bit more smoothly, and to distract himself from killing the next civilian that came to him asking where his Master was, he gave three -50s the order to search through Gato's Fortress for any survivors, plus taking inventory on whatever Gato had managed to hoard in his greedy little hole during his reign. The other two he ordered to go to Tazuna's home where the three prisoners were being kept, and keep an eye on them. He expected to be alerted the moment they awoke. It wouldn't do for them to just be able to walk right out of their bonds, after all. No doubt his Master would be pleased when he came out of the building to find that even during his absence, things had kept getting done and there were a few less things for him to worry about.

He had only gotten a few moments of planning in before the two Magnaguards had approached him, and that was things had gotten tense for a moment.

"**Mocking Statement: **Well well well, look who finally decided the Master good enough for them to check up on him."

The two brother's by battle and design walked side by side and stopped before HK, not deeming his comment worthy of a response.

"Where is the Master? Is he alright?"

"**Indignant response: **If you had been by his side in the first place, you would already know the answers to both of those queries."

Though incapable of showing their displeasure visually, Alpha's voice made their displeasure apparent.

"We do not have time for your games, Archaic-one. Where is he?"

"**Answer : **He is inside with the Silver Meatbag. He is resting partially, though I suppose he and the man are discussing recent events."

"And you are standing guard, instead of searching through the building?"

"**Challenge : **Someone has to do your job for you."

Alpha had to stop himself from drawing his weapon and lashing out at the Droid before him who would dare to speak such venom. Even his ever stoic brother bristled at the comment and took a defensive stance, ready should a fight break out. Still, there were more important things to be done than just stand around picking fights with each other, and Alpha was the first to stand down and address them.

"Look, as much as we would enjoy teaching you a much needed lesson in respect, there are more important things to be done. You are more efficient at communication than we are. We would suggest that you work with the rebellion and organize them while the Master is resting. Meanwhile, we will stay here and guard him. Our six eyes are better than your two. You _can_ do simple math, can't you?"

If it was possible, HK would be sneering at the two before him, but unfortunately that wasn't within his operating procedures.

"**Reluctant Acceptance : **Very well, I shall talk to the Meatbags and start making plans, in the meantime I expect you two to keep the Master safe... this time."

The brothers refused to rise to the bait as they took HK's place, one on either side of the door. The assassin Droid walked away toward the thickest throngs of rebels, still celebrating in minor ways. No doubt there was to be a party later on, but for now that didn't mean they still couldn't enjoy their victory.

**XxXxXxX**

- Villager's House : Naruto -

When the flow of his tears had finally slowed, Naruto wiped his eyes with his sleeve and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry Kakashi-sensei, I kinda got your vest wet, huh?"

Kakashi just smiled down at his blond student and ruffled his hair.

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's machine washable."

That comment did more for Naruto than anything else the man probably could have said, and the genuine laugh went miles in making the boy feel better. With a deep breath to sort himself out, Naruto returned to his normal mindset and smiled.

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei. I guess I needed that."

"Don't worry about it. Everyone has their moments, it's just a matter of getting through them in one piece, right?"

"Yeah, you're right. But what are we going to do about Inari? I mean, it's my fault his mom is... is gone."

"Tell you what, right now let's go talk to the villagers, and we'll worry about all that later okay?"

Naruto grinned at him and stood up, stretching out a kink in his shoulder.

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan."

The older ninja had an evil thought as he heard the crowd outside the door, and a plan came to mind. As soon Kakashi pushed the door open, he was quick to step aside and push Naruto from behind. Not expecting the shove, Naruto was forced out into the street where a large throng of overjoyed and celebrating people were waiting for the appearance of their new hero.

"Hey look everybody! There he is!"

"The Hero of Wave!"

"Uzumaki-sama! Thank you so much!"

"We owe you everything!"

Naruto was practically bowled over by a crowd of people rushing to his side to thank him personally for saving him, and it came down to Alpha and Omega trying to keep the crowd away. Though once the people found out that the Droids weren't actually going to hurt them, it became a bit more of a challenge.

In his state of shock, Naruto almost jumped in surprise when Kakashi came up behind him.

"You know, this is usually the time when the Hero makes like... a speech or something."

The boy spun to face him with an expression of abject horror.

"B-but I don't know how to make a speech! I've never had to talk to a crowd before!"

Kakashi just turned the boy's head to face the crowd of beaming faces.

"At this point, I don't really think they care. Besides, I've heard you say some pretty wise things every once in a while, all you have to do is do it again. All that's changed is the number of people listening to you. You'll do fine."

"You think so? I mean, couldn't you just do it for me? You're the team leader after all."

Kakashi just laughed at his student's worry.

"They don't want to hear from me, Naruto. They want to hear from you."

Without giving him any more time to second guess himself, Kakashi steered the boy towards the front steps of the building that, just a few hours ago, had housed Gato's forces. With shaking steps, Naruto climbed up them until he was standing above the crowd's head level, and looking down at them. All the men and women who had fought Gato's men for their freedom stared upwards at him, waiting for him to speak as though he was the greatest hero they had ever seen. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the rest of his team off to one side, and watching him as well. Sasuke's default scowl at least brought a sense of normalcy to the insane situation he found himself in, and Naruto was grateful for it... kinda.

As he watched, the crowd all quieted down and turned to listen to him, smiling expectantly. Though he was afraid, he couldn't help but feel a spark of pride warm the pit of his stomach as he saw their eyes. Never before had he seen such a look from so many people. It gave him a sense of confidence that he had only felt a few times before, one being the time he spent in 'The Ring' so many weeks ago. He lifted his arms and what sparse conversation remained quickly silenced as every head in the crowd turned his way, ready to listen to everything he had to say.

Focusing on that sense of confidence, he propped himself up with one leg on a chunk of rubble and struck a heroic pose he had seen in a picture once. The thought struck him that before him stood the gathered denizens of the now free Nami no Kuni.

"Everyone! The day you've been waiting for, the day you _bled_ for, is finally here!"

The crowd of people cried out loudly in exultation, drowning him out. When they quieted he continued.

"But before we celebrate, we must take a moment to be silent. To remember! To remember those who fell in the violent battle against your oppressors. Your freedom came at the greatest of costs; the lives of free men! I would ask that you take a moment to lower your heads with me, and remember those who shed their blood so that you may live free."

At his command every head in the street lowered and total silence fell, broken only by the sound of Naruto's voice calling out the few names of the casualties of the fight, the last of which was Tsunami's name. While it only took seconds to call them all, the silence reigned for far longer. Eventually Naruto lifted his head and clapped his hands loudly.

"There will be a time for mourning, but it is not now! Today we have won a victory that will be remembered for generations yet to come!"

The crowd roared loudly at this again, and Naruto waited for them to quiet once more.

"Now the question is, what are we going to do now? Should we quit while we're ahead? Return Nami no Kuni to its previous state and leave it at that?"

Naruto's eyes started to blaze brightly with vigor as the rebels turned to look at him and each other questioningly.

"Oh no. Because Gato will keep happening. Not himself personally, but people like him. Dictators, tyrants, individuals who will enslave your country for their personal gains. No matter how many you cast down, there will always be another to rise to take his place."

A faceless voice in the crowd called out, over the whispered conversation raging through the masses.

"What are you saying? How do we fight something that will keep coming?"

"By looking at other cities. Konoha is an excellent example. It is easy to rule over those too few and too weak to fight back. But if you have a country full of those trained in battle, armed with technology to fight back, it will become impossible to take over Wave. Too many too strong for _anyone_ to challenge!"

Though they had been obviously skeptical to begin with, they quickly started to warm up to his words, and soon they were cheering along.

"With what I have given you and with the strength you have already shown, we can take this farther than any of us had previously imagined! We can make Wave one of the superpowers in the Elemental Countries."

One of the faceless men in the crowd called out, challenging his allegiances.

"And what about you? You belong to Konoha, why are you saying these things if you are a loyal Konoha ninja?"

Naruto's face then took on a dark scowl that made Kakashi frown. Even Sakura caught the look, and the thought struck her that she had never seen him look at someone like that before.

"They abandoned me first, why should I stay? With very few exceptions, the entire village has made it their goal in life to make mine a living hell, and until a few months ago they were successful. Now though, I have the support of people who need me, who want to teach me, but more than anything, who care for me. And these men have opened my eyes to a truth that I was refusing to accept."

He took a step down and spread his arms wide, raising his voice.

"Konoha hates me! They fear that which they cannot understand and seek to destroy that which stands between them and their destruction. No longer! I could care less if Konoha burned to the ground! My only allegiances lie to those who have taken the time to know me and who I am. Two old men, a school teacher, and a young, learning chef! They are who I shall remain in Konoha for, for now."

Every person in the crowd was partially taken aback by the venom in is voice as he made his proclamation and even Kakashi had a cold frown. The Jonin was not looking forward to the talk he had to have with Naruto, but it was well time for it.

"No, Konoha is not my home. It is only the cage that keeps me imprisoned. It seems only yesterday that I walked these streets, and what did I see? Starving children! Men who couldn't afford to feed their families! Mothers who had no food to give to their loved ones! But what do I see now?"

Naruto stepped upwards again, allowing him to see even more of the crowd gathered.

"Now I see an country of free men and free women! Those who now have the necessities to build a life for themselves without fear of being struck down while they work! In many ways, I envy you. What you have now, I will never have in Konoha. I bear no small amount of pride that I was able to serve a small part in aiding you in earning your freedom, but I envy what you have all the same."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he finally caught onto what Naruto was trying to do. He was trying to convince Wave into inviting him to stay! To welcome into their hearts and homes with welcome arms and it was working!

"Well why do you stay if it was that bad? Even for those people you mentioned? It just doesn't seem worth it!"

Naruto smiled sadly and shrugged his shoulders at the crowd.

"I have no choice. I don't have anywhere else to go. I am a prisoner in my own home, like all of you were. The only difference is that I have no way to change things, because no one will help me do it. Either I stay and suffer, or run with nowhere to go and be chased by Konoha's Missing-nin until I am captured and returned."

The boy heard the grumbles and curses from the crowd, and he almost grinned at how well it was working. Sure, he _could_ have just asked them if he could live with them and they no doubt would have accepted happily. He had helped them save themselves after all, _and_ he had the means to make Wave prosper as it never had before. If he had though, it would have been his idea and not theirs. Bane had taught him a valuable lesson in manipulating people. A person was far more vehement in defending an idea that they thought was their own.

Just as he had expected, his answer had sent some of the members of the crowd into a fury and there was a flurry of outrage toward his home village.

"I can't believe they would do that!"

"That's just horrible!"

"They treat someone like him like that? What kind of people are they?"

While most of the crowd were talking amongst themselves about what they had just been told, four prominent figures made their way through and out of the crowd, stopping at the foot of the steps. He recognized each one of them, though he had never been personally introduced to the only female of the group. She did seem pretty interested in shooting glances to her left, where Kakashi was watching her though.

Shumei, Benjiro, Yumiko, and Tazuna spoke together quietly for just a moment before seeming to come to a conclusion. As a single group, they made their way up the steps to Naruto and stopped a few below him which caught the boy by surprise. As soon as the crowd noticed that something was happening, they silenced to watch and a ripple of anticipation ran through them as they realized who the people were exactly. The heads of the rebellion!

The first to step forward was the young woman, Yumiko, and she stopped directly before him with a sad smile.

"It's a terrible thing that your village would treat such a wonderful person as yourself as horribly as you say they have. In fact, we've heard rumors from the few traders we've gotten from Konoha about a young boy who is treated like an animal. Now that we know it is you, we can't allow it to go on. In the name of the Support Branch of the Nami Rebellion, I, Yumiko, offer you a place within our home as our leader!"

The young women sank to one knee before him and bowed her head in a show of submission. The crowd was silent for one, breath-taking moment, before erupting into deafening cheers. Before Naruto could even say anything, the oldest of the group, Benjiro, hobbled up to him and stopped next to the still kneeling woman.

"The moment I laid my eyes on you, I knew you would be the one to save us and allow us to regain our freedom. Now I hear you wish for us to be a stronger and more prosperous country than we have ever been in the past? How could I _not_ pledge my support? In the name of the Shield Branch of the Nami Rebellion, offer you a place within our home as our leader!"

With a dexterity surprising for a man his age, Bejiro knelt next to Yumiko, bowing his head. The crowd didn't even hesitate this time before bellowing it's approval, and Shumei didn't even wait for them to quiet down before standing in front of Naruto, with a stern look on his face.

"I am not like my two comrades. I am not one to bow before a man, _especially_ not some punk-ass kid without knowing for sure that he can protect my people better than I can myself. Before I pledge my allegiance, I want you to show us, right here and now, what you can do that should make us follow you. Not your Droids either, I'm not following them. I want to see what _you_ can do!"

Naruto held a stern look on his visage as he looked past the man to the crowd.

"And do you all want to see what I can do as well? Shall I prove myself here and now!"

While no single person spoke out as boldly against him as Shumei had, there was a general surge of approval, and Naruto grinned at the chance to prove himself before such a crowd of people.

He examined his surroundings briefly before identifying the perfect target. A large pillar of Gato's building had been damaged during the battle, and while not actually sagging, the chunk missing from its base made it clear that it wouldn't be standing by the end of the week.

Naruto glanced at his bodyguards, then nodded towards the pillar. While confused at the order, the two Magnaguards knew what they were to do. Even if it would put a part of the crowd in danger, they were sure that their Master had a plan.

As one, the two towering Droids marched stiffly to the weakened pillar and drew their electrostaffs. As one the brought them to life and charged them to full power. As the weapons built up the energy required to take down such a sturdy target, Naruto addressed the crowd.

"You question my ability! Now witness my power!"

Not for the first time since the speech had begun, Kakashi felt his heart pound in anxiety at the events unfolding before him. Those two damned machines were obviously about to destroy what little support the massive pillar had, sending it crashing to the ground. The only problem with that, was the thirty or so people standing between the gargantuan chunk of marble and the ground! Before he could even say anything to stop them, Naruto nodded once more and the two Droids swung. He was too far to do anything, all he could do was watch as Naruto went through whatever insane plan he had and pray that the boy knew what he was doing.

Charged to the peak of their power, the twin electrostaffs released a concussive blast upon impact, obliterating the supports of the pillar. Like a tree sawed through, it leaned for a moment before falling in seemingly slow motion, before gaining speed.

The crowd watched in horror as the pillar fell towards them, and a mother screamed as she cradled her child to her chest in a vain attempt to protect it from the falling marble.

Naruto didn't flinch as the pillar fell. He simply allowed himself to completely relax and release the control of his own body to the Force. Instead of channeling _it_ as he usually did, he allowed himself to simply become a conduit as Kyle had taught him too, letting the Force act through him.

He braced himself with a wide stance and reached out with arms, eyes shut let him concentrate better. While never before had he ever tried to lift something as massive or heavy as the pillar before him, he knew he could. He didn't know how he did, and he couldn't explain it even if he wanted to. He just... knew.

With the strain of a man lifting the Hokage Monument, Naruto grasped the column with the hands of the Force. The gasps of shock, terror, and awe from the crowd obviously meant that the descent had ceased, but the boy didn't dare open his eyes to see. He knew what was going on in his mind's eye and it would have to do. He had to move this damn thing before his will gave out. After all, it was _really_heavy!

Sasuke looked on in dawning horror as Naruto... caught... the pillar. He knew that the dobe was stronger than he was in the academy. He had seen him levitate those kunai, and he had watched as he threw a enemy ninja around like a rag doll. But this! This just scared him.

Sakura had screamed with the mother as the pillar fell towards the crowd. The breath had left her lungs when the pillar had stopped though, and she could hardly comprehend what was happening. Naruto... the moron Naruto who had constantly asked her out practically every day in the academy, had just...

She couldn't even finish the sentence in her own mind. All she could do was watch as Naruto hefted the column with whatever power he was using.

Naruto didn't bother trying to show off with the pillar. The weight behind the marble was almost more than he could handle, and he couldn't afford to screw around. He clenched his teeth and moved in exaggerated movements, manipulating the pillar in mid-air. He took a slight step forward to change his stance and twisted his entire torso to the side, pushing with every fiber of his being and the Force he was channeling.

Betraying even the law of nature written by Shinobi, Naruto forced the slab of marble off to one side, where there were no people standing and he could safely drop it. Lacking the strength to ease it to the ground, he had to choice but to just release it and let it crash to the ground, shaking the very ground beneath the gathered people's feet.

With sweat practically pouring down his back and face, Naruto turned to Shumei with a confident grin.

"You're turn."

The final leader of the rebellion could only stare, open mouthed, at the feat that he and the rest of his village had borne witness to. After a moment he could only shake his head and smile back.

"By the faith I have in your strength, abilities, and the hope I have in your Masters; In the name of the Sword Branch of the Nami Rebellion, I, Shumei, offer you a place within our home as our leader!"

The young man hadn't even taken his place next to his fellow rebels before Tazuna was standing in front of them all, facing the crowd. Arms spread wide, he spoke to his people.

"And what of You, Nami no Kuni? Do you offer Naruto your support in bringing Wave to prominence?"

For a heartbeat, everything was silent. No single person so much as coughed. There was a pause for a moment, as though everyone was waiting for something before one man stepped forward.

"I do!"

With those two simple words, the man sunk to one knee and bowed his head as the Rebel leaders had before him. Apparently that was what everyone had been waiting for as more people started standing forward from the crowd to stand beside the first man, speak their allegiance, and then kneel as well.

They came in ones and twos, but quickly there were more and more. In only a minute or two every head in Wave was bowed to Naruto, declaring him their leader.

Tazuna turned to Naruto with the single most serious look the boy had ever seen him wear. The man's voice was loud and clear, intended for both Naruto and the crowd behind him to hear.

"And what of you, Naruto? Will you serve Wave as a leader should? You have made promises to our country that we will expect you to follow through with. Will you bring us prosperity? Will you care for every man, woman, and child? And, when he time comes, will you lead us in war?"

Naruto was caught off guard by the statement, and for a moment hesitated at how serious everyone was taking this. Sure he had expected to get results with his speech, but this was far more than he had ever thought possible. Not only were they offering him a home, but they wanted to make him their leader right off the bat!

For a moment he almost wanted to refuse, but the gleam in the bridge builder's eye was enough for him to feel that confidence once more. The man obviously cared for his people more than anything, and if he was willing to give it all to Naruto, he must have faith in his ability.

"I shall!"

Every head in the crowd looked up at Tazuna as the man spun on his heel to look back.

"By your shows of fealty, and by the word of our Savior, Naruto, I make this pact! From now, to the day we die, we of the mighty Wave shall serve Naruto, and under his guidance we shall make Wave a country to be feared!"

Naruto stepped beside the man and raised his hands high.

"No! Wave was the name of a country ruled by fear, dominance, and tyranny! This country of ours shall bear a new name! A proud one that has been lost to the ages, but was once known to every being that walked the face of this earth! This shall, from now on, be the proud city... of Ruusan!"

The cheers of everyone in the courtyard was enough to be heard across the city, and Naruto had the passing thought that people in Konoha must be wondering what all the ruckus was about. The four Rebel leaders before him had all stood up at his declaration and returned to the crowd, hugging their family and friends. Even Benjiro had an animation to his movements that was good to see.

The only one to remain was Shumei, and he gave Naruto a steady look.

"I'm trusting you with everything that means the most to me. We all are. If you disappoint or hurt us, I swear that your powers and Droids won't be enough to save you."

Naruto grinned and grabbed the man's hand, shaking it proudly.

"You've got a deal!"

Shumei just shook his head at his new leader's wild antics before descending the stairs and meeting up with his own wife, hugging her to him proudly. Through the shouting and cheering, Naruto felt his comm link spark to life and he activated his end.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"_Master, we have finished looting the building and we found a rather substantial wine cellar. We thought that the people of Wave... of Ruusan might enjoy a bit of a celebration, so we brought everything within it to the main lobby. It is waiting for you now."_

Naruto laughed.

"You guys have the best timing sometimes. Out..."

It took a few moments for Naruto to get the attention of the crowd, but when he did they were glad to see that he was grinning.

"Alright you guys, listen up! Now I've heard that you guys used to love a good party, but I'm just not seeing it!"

With a hand signal behind his back, Alpha and Omega both spun around and delivered a shattering roundhouse kick to the doors leading into the lobby behind him.

"So why don't you guys actually get to it and show us how it's done?"

True to the -50's words, right in the middle of the lobby was the biggest pile of bottles, vases, jugs, and casks of the widest variety of alcoholic drinks any of the gathered people had ever seen. The people of the newly christened Ruusan just stared for a moment, before Tazuna spoke first. The old man sniffed loudly and wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Isn't she the most beautiful thing you ever seen! DIBS!"

The bridge builder then charged towards the now permanently opened doors, quickly followed by a throng of men and women heading to stop him from drinking it all alone. Naruto was hardly able to leap out of the way in time to stop from being bowled over, and even then he had to lean against what was left of the pillar to stop himself from collapsing. He was laughing too hard.

**XxXxXxX**

Not long after the party had started in earnest, Naruto had gotten a message over the comm link informing him that Haku and the Demon Brothers had finally regained consciousness. Naruto acknowledged the message and sent his guards a message for them to join him.

Before he could slip away from the party raging in the lobby he was caught off guard by possibly the single person he wanted to speak to _least _right now. Kakashi.

"Mah, Naruto! There you are, I've been looking for you."

In an attempt to get away from him without having to talk for long, the boy didn't slow down. He opted instead for just yelling a reply over his shoulder.

"Sorry, Kakashi-sensei, but I have somewhere I need to be. I'll talk to you later, okay? Cool, bye!"

As he watched his student run off through the front doors, Kakashi could only stand there dumbfounded.

"...what just happened?"

He debated giving chase for a second, but was distracted by a particularly feminine hand on his shoulder.

"I don't suppose whatever you needed to talk to Naruto-sama about was more important than say, spending some time with me... was it?"

'_Heh heh, no contest.'_

"No, I suppose it could wait for a couple of hours."

Yumiko winked flirtatiously and Kakashi couldn't help but grin under his mask.

"A couple of hours, huh? I've heard rumors about a ninja's stamina, but that's amazing. Maybe you could show me a few things. Life in a profession as dangerous as yours must get stressful sometimes. What do you say we find somewhere quiet and I'll help you relax?"

The Jonin chalked his conversation with Naruto down to another day and trailed along behind Yumiko toward one of the more secluded areas of the building. What kind of gentleman would he be if he denied the company of a beautiful young woman, after all?

He loved being a ninja. Wait a second, Naruto-_sama_?

**XxXxXxX**

**- Gato's Fortress : Sasuke & Sakura -**

While drinking was one of the primary highlights for adults at the celebration, that didn't mean there wasn't anything else to do. Some of the younger kids had started playing childhood games of tag, hide-and-seek, and others, darting between the legs of adults as they celebrated in their own way.

The somewhat older youths meanwhile, had gathered together next to a musical group that had started playing not too long ago. Before today, Sakura had been too busy with the mission in Wave to focus on any of the other kids in the village. Now that she had the time to relax and check out some of the other kids their age, she noticed that they had a robustness to them that equaled that of the adults. Some of the guys weren't that bad looking, either.

Driven by guilt at that thought, Sakura shot a glance at Sasuke. As soon as the party had started Kakashi had disappeared off into the crowd as though looking for someone specific. All he said to them when he left was to 'enjoy themselves', before leaving them to their own devices. Predictably, Sasuke had sought out the quietest and most secluded corner and leaned against the wall with his eyes closed.

Sakura sighed sadly and went back to examining the people of the newly dubbed Ruusan. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why they would choose to follow someone like Naruto. Even if he could do that freaky crap with his 'Force', that was still nothing compared to what a lot of other people could do. Come on, if they were going to follow someone, why wouldn't they pick someone really strong? Like Sasuke! Surely he could do way better than Naruto could. What did that moron even know about ruling a country anyway?

Sasuke examined the crowd warily, keeping an eye out for both Naruto and their useless Jonin. Now that the intense fights were over with and the mission was going to be easier from here on out, he had time to start thinking over his teammates.

The entire trip their Sensei had done nothing but sit on the sidelines of fights and teach them to walk up trees. Granted, that last one was pretty useful but it wasn't like he went to any lengths to teach them how to do it well. He just showed them once, talked it through, then started reading his damned book and throwing rocks at their heads. Hardly an extensive regimen for him. Plus there was whatever he and their even more useless teammate had been doing alone while he and Sakura were stuck guarding the old man on the bridge.

That was another thought that set his teeth on edge. That blond bastard had been pissing him off even more than he thought possible lately. First he shows up with some kind of power that he refused to teach him, then he has the gall to _attack_ him with it. Now he even has a damned country following his stupid lead. He didn't know how Naruto was doing it, but if Sasuke didn't start catching up in ability soon, he might just have to take the punk down a peg.

Sasuke still hadn't forgotten the conversation he and Naruto had had outside Tazuna's home a few days ago. Back then Naruto had made it sound like he had some grand plan that he needed his help with. Then the bastard turned around and forgot about him, showboating with his powers and metal slaves with no regard to his own ability. He was an Uchiha, dammit. Not someone to be thrown on the sidelines and forced to watch other people do all the work.

With an irritated grunt the boy went back to surveying the crowd, doing his best to ignore his female teammate's pouting.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Tazuna's Home : Naruto -**

With Alpha and Omega at his sides, Naruto strode confidently through the front door of Tazuna's family home. Just as he expected two HK-50 Droid's were standing guard over the struggling forms of Zabuza's three companions. As soon as they saw him enter and recognized him, they glared at him and struggling to free themselves even more, though Haku only went limp.

"Nice of you to join us. I was worried you guys might be unconscious for a while. Sasuke did a number on you two."

Unable to respond through the gags, the Demon Brothers settled for shooting him the dirtiest glare they could muster. Granted, it might have been more intimidating had they not been trussed up like a suckling pig.

Naruto nodded to the guards, and the Droid's removed the gags on their mouths, allowing them to speak.

"You son of a bitch! As soon as we get out of here we're going to kill you for hurting Zabuza-sama!"

Meizu was quick to defend his brother.

"Yeah! Zabuza's going to be here soon to bust us out of here, and then you guy's are screwed! Right, Haku?"

When a response wasn't forthcoming, the Demon Brothers looked back at their female companion. The expression she had was of no comfort whatsoever to them, and their words took on an almost pleading tone.

"He'll come rescue us, right Haku-neechan?"

"Yeah, there's no way that red thing could have beaten Zabuza!"

Haku only bit her lip to stop herself from sobbing, but Naruto could still see the traces of tears being forced back.

"B-but that's..."

"...impossible."

The sadness in their tone was too much, and Haku couldn't stop herself from crying. She didn't make any sound, and were it not for the tears running down her cheeks it would have been impossible to tell. The Demon Brothers knew the only thing that could cause that reaction, and it crushed them both. They just seemed to collapse in on themselves, and stopped struggling in their bonds.

"Look, you have us defeated. There's nothing we can do."

"If you're going to kill us, at least have the decency to make it quick."

The boy drew one of his throwing knives and held it in a revers grip. He stalked toward the Demon Brothers and the three prisoners tensed as he left their line of sight. Gozu was the first to feel the presence directly behind him, and he closed his eyes. He wished a silent farewell to his brother and surrogate older sister, and waited for the end...

That never came. The blade he expected to feel pressed against his neck or something only slit the ropes binding his arms behind his back and legs at the ankles. The young Shinobi from Mist rose to his knees shakily and rubbed some life back into his wrists.

As he watched, the blond nin from Konoha did the same to both Meizu and Haku, releasing them from their bonds before backing up some, leaving space between them. The three shared a bewildered look amongst themselves, but Naruto just smiled softly at them and squatted down, bouncing once on the toes of his thick boots.

"I don't plan on killing you, I never did. Ask Haku. I've wanted you guys on my side from the very beginning. You were all just too thick-headed to see it."

He slid the knife back into his jacket and took it off, throwing it across the back of one of the chairs in the front room. For the second time since he entered the house, he noticed the hole in the wall and carbon scoring in a patch on the floor. Apparently Zabuza _hadn't_ been jerking them around. Who'da thunk?

The Demon Brothers shared a look for a moment before they both glanced at Haku, waiting for orders. He might have just released them, but that didn't necessarily mean that he planned on letting them go. If Haku gave the order, they wouldn't hesitate in killing their captor/rescuer.

Haku only shook her head slightly in response to their silent query, and the brothers stood down. That didn't stop them from standing on either side of Haku in a defensive position though, much like Naruto's own bodyguards who now stood off to one side of the room. The brothers were both well aware of what HK's could do with their drawn weapons in this situation anyway, so they were content to just wait and watch. Haku seemed like she had a plan anyway.

"You go to lengths to capture us, to kill our only leader, and then you release us from our bonds? Why is this?"

The girl fingered one of her concealed weapons in preparation, but the Droid's seemed to notice. The two -50s raised their blaster rifles and pointed them at her and the brother closest to them. The Magnaguards meanwhile raised their staffs and moved to stand between their Master and the three prisoners.

Naruto only lifted his hands in a peaceful position, ordering the Droid's to stand down while he did so.

"I don't plan on attacking you unless you attack me first. On this you have my word. I only want to talk to you right now. Hear me out, and when I'm done no matter what you chose to do, I will let you go. Alright?"

Haku may not have trusted him, but it wasn't like she had much of a choice. She decided that as long as he kept his word, she would listen. Besides, it was probably best for them to be gone before the blond kid's Jonin Sensei showed up. While none of them knew who he was, Zabuza seemed to have recognized him and that was never a good thing.

"Alright, fine. We're listening. Now what do you want to talk to us about?"

Naruto sat down in one of the kitchen chairs and spun it around to face them.

"Okay, listen up. I have two Masters who have big plans, alright? And when I say big, I mean _big _plans. One of these plans included getting Wave under our control, which is called Ruusan now, by the way. Obviously you guys knew what the situation was with Gato given that you guys were working for him."

The three nin paled at that, but Naruto seemed not to notice.

"Well my team and I were sent here to protect Tazuna while he built the bridge, which would hopefully serve as the pressure they needed to break Gato's hold on the region. The problem was, is that even if we protected him, he finished the bridge, and we went home there would still be no happy ending for the poor people of Ex-Wave."

"Gato would have just either taken the bridge under his control or destroyed it to prevent the civilians from using it, right?"

Naruto's eyes gleamed as he nodded to Haku and laughed.

"Yeah, exactly. That would only end in failure, and in the end things would only change for the worse. That's why Kakashi-sensei and me convinced my team that we needed to actively fight Gato in order to end his regime once and for all. Wasn't easy either, Sakura's a freakin' sissy."

Gozu chuckled at that, but a quick glare from his brother was enough to sober him up, and he just shrugged innocently.

"Right, anyway. So me and Tazuna take a little bit of a walk and he explains some things to me. Turns out he and a couple of other people had been planning a resistance to fight Gato, and the had a pretty decent size militia built up, though they had no experience. Fortunately for them, they just happened to have a generous benefactor outside the village who was supplying them with the armor, weapons, and medicine they would need for the rebellion. Take a wild guess who that benefactor just happened to be, and it wasn't me."

"Well after that I called in a couple of my little metal friends over there. Well, actually I called a few specific Droids and one just happened to bring company. Not that I'm complaining of course. They came in handy. Now the plan was to watch over Tazuna until the bridge was almost done. We figured that once Gato saw that the bridge was almost finished he would send in an army of mercenaries to 'deal' with us. As soon as he split his force to attack us, Tazuna and the rebellion would charge up to his front door and start ringin' the door bell, if you know what I mean. There was just one little thing I wasn't expecting."

He pointed a finger at them accusingly.

"You guys. I really hadn't expected Gato to hire Shinobi and send them after us. You have no reason to trust me, but I am going to say it anyway. I am truly sorry for what happened to Zabuza-san. He was a powerful ninja and he died fighting against all odds. I'm sure that that is what he would have wanted, if a little less brutal, but HK can get like that in the middle of the fight."

Naruto dragged his hand through his hair, and sighed heavily.

"I offered you a chance to walk away before the fight, and I really wish you had accepted it. If you had, Zabuza would still be alive and you would all be well out of harm's way. You need never have suffered like you have. Still, what's done is done. In reparations for what my team and I have done with you, I will make you an offer."

Haku narrowed her eyes at him.

"What kind of offer?" She asked him, warily.

"I want you three to join me. I kinda need strong people like yourselves."

The three before him were taken aback by how casual his words were. As though he was asking them were they liked to eat out.

"The hell is that supposed to mean!"

"What do you mean, join you!"

Naruto shrugged at the Demon Brothers, he was pretty much expecting their reaction, but it was Haku's that he was interested in. He was expecting outright refusal given that the thing that killed their leader called him Master. Instead she only bit her lip and looked down, obviously thinking hard.

"Haku, you can't seriously..."

"...be considering it, can you? He killed Zabuza-sama!"

"And what do you propose? Just because Zabuza-sama is... isn't with us any more, doesn't mean the hunter-nin will just stop chasing you! We don't know enough to make it on our own, and we aren't valuable enough to find safe-haven with any other village."

She stopped going off on the brothers and turned to Naruto instead.

"Will you be able to keep us safe? How do we know we can trust you?"

Naruto just gave them an incredulous look.

"One, you're still alive. Two, I have a base that makes Gato's look like a playground. No one knows about it that isn't supposed to know. You will each be given private quarters there and will be under the protection of the security protocols. Oh, and the whole glory, fame, fortune, and power.. thing."

Gozu and Meizu's eyes widened at the confident declaration, but Haku wasn't so easily convinced.

"And what do _you_ get out of the deal?"

Naruto just shrugged like it wasn't that big of a deal.

"Well, you guys will serve me, obviously. You and Ruusan's civilians will be my first true followers. You will be running some missions for me, whatever else I need doing. I'm not exactly sure yet, but it will benefit us both in the long run. I will compensate you guys for your work. Beyond keeping you safe from Missing-nin and giving you a home."

"And you're long term plans?"

He winked at her playfully.

"I can't go telling you all my secrets before you even sign up now, can I? Remember though, either way you guys are walking out of this situation alive and well. You'll be long gone before even my own team realize you're missing."

The three shared a look before turning back to Naruto.

"We... we'll need time to think it over. Is that okay?"

Naruto smiled and nodded kindly. The bridge wasn't finished yet, after all, and wouldn't be for at least a week. They had time to think about it, sure. It wasn't something he could just force them into after all.

"I'll tell you what. My team and I are going to be here until this bridge is finished. When it is finished and the day we leave, if you have decided to join me, then meet me on the bridge. If not, don't worry about it and you can leave whenever you want. I won't tell anyone where you went, especially since I don't know."

Naruto stood from his seat and snapped his fingers. The Droids came to his side and left the building first. Naruto hesitated before following them.

"Either way, I wish you the best of luck wherever you go. I'm sorry things had to end up like this."

With that the blond left them to their decision and returned to the city to enjoy what was left of the celebration. Tomorrow they had to get back to work, after all. Behind him in the house, Haku and the Demon Brothers shared a final look. One thing was for sure. They were definitely going to consider his proposition, and not just for the safety.

**XxXxXxX One Week Later XxXxXxX**

**- Completed Bridge : Team Seven -**

Naruto and Tazuna looked back proudly over the bridge they had helped build. With Gato finally taken care of and with no dangers of coming to work on it, all of the builder's who had needed to quit to protect their families had returned to finish the bridge. With so many hands working at the same time, the bridge was brought up and completed well within the expected deadline.

Now Team Seven, Tazuna and the other leaders of the rebellion, and a large number of civilians had come to see their heroes off. Even Inari had come to say goodbye. For the last week the poor lad had been mourning the death of his mother, but after a long talk with Naruto, he had come to understand. It was a tragedy that his mother had to die, but at the same time with her death many others were saved. Her sacrifice was not in vain, far from it, and from now on she would always be remembered.

Though he didn't come outright and say it though, Inari had decided what he wanted to do with his life. He had hated the feel of killing Gato, but he didn't regret it. Some people simply had to die, and not everyone was ready to do it. He had already spilled blood, and when the time came he was sure he would be ready to do it again. Not because he enjoyed doing it, but so other people wouldn't have to.

He planned on joining the army as soon as Naruto brought it into creation, and he was going to become the person sent out on the most dangerous missions, and he would succeed to honor his mother. That would be his gift to her. In doing so he would protect his grandfather and all the people of Ruusan, his home, and he would become a hero. Like Naruto...

Over the last week, major events had been happening in Ruusan, thanks to Gato's destruction. The mines had reopened for one, bringing in a flood of orders for minerals and precious metals that had been held off since Gato took the docks. Trade had reopened between the islands of Ruusan, and the people of the city had feasted for the first time in years.

As a bonus, Naruto had started sending in more and more -50s with various scientific and technological devices, as well as books and sources for the civilians to learn from. As was decided in the beginning, Ruusan would have no hidden village or Shinobi population. It would instead focus on technology unlike any the world had seen for thousands of years. For now it would be secret, hidden from everyone but the people of the city. But when they were ready and they had a significant force built, they would make themselves known to the world under a single banner. Naruto's.

All was falling into place, and it made Naruto confident, if not cautious. There was only one thing really bothering him, and that was his team. They had been suspiciously quiet since the celebration, but Naruto suspected that it wouldn't last. No doubt he was going to catch hell the minute they walked over Konoha's Mission Department's threshold.

Still, he would worry about that when the time came. For now, he had to say his goodbyes to his people. Tazuna was the first to approach him, and he laid a thick hand on his shoulder.

"I still don't understand why you have to leave. This is your home now, isn't? Ruusan is your country, so why are you abandoning it?"

"I'm not leaving you guys! I promise. I will be back, there are just things I have to do first before we are really ready to go on, alright? I will still be in contact, and I am leaving behind a force big enough to protect you from whatever might happen. They are willing to work as well, and they have been ordered to follow your orders to the letter. Just... be careful how you word anything that can be translated violently, okay?"

Tazuna bellowed his laughter and clapped the boy on the shoulder once more.

"Will do, but what about those two tall, freaky ones? Aren't they your bodyguards? Why are you leaving them here?"

Sure enough, Alpha and Omega were both standing behind Tazuna and, despite their initial programming, they were going to guard Tazuna instead... for now.

"They are going to stay as well. You will have more need of them than I will. Keep them safe though, I expect to get them back in the same condition as I left them!"

"You got it, Sire."

Naruto blinked owlishly at the man for a moment before grinning.

"What's with the 'Sire'?"

Tazuna just shrugged, though he never stopped smiling.

"Meh, me and the villagers keep hearing the Hks call you that, so we figured we might as well do the same. We never had a single leader before, after all. It's a new experience for us."

"Yeah, you and me both."

The old and young man shared a smile before turning to go their separate ways. Tazuna back to his city and Naruto to his. His team was waiting for him about a third of the way down the bridge, but the walk over the rest of it was made in an uncomfortable silence. The quiet wasn't to last though, a fact that Sasuke lamented silently.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei. Who are they? On the end of the bridge?"

Naruto perked up at Sakura's words and he channeled the Force through his eyes in order to see who she was talking about. Sure enough, he recognized the unique signatures of three people he hadn't seen in seven days.

"Well I'll be damned!"

Naruto took off running at almost a full sprint towards the silhouettes at the end of the bridge, and this time Kakashi didn't even bother calling after him. Sakura didn't share the same inhibition though, and she started following him.

"Naruto! You're supposed to stay with the team!"

Kakashi just sighed and rubbed his temple. He recognized the figures too, and he could already tell that they were going to give him a massive headache before the day was through. Well at least he had his precious to distract him.

Sasuke watched in irritation as the man reached into his pouch to pull out his damned book. A small smile came over him though, as he watched him fish around for a moment in vain. Soon Kakashi was tearing his entire belt inside out trying to find his one solace. After a minute of futility, Kakashi looked to the heavens and cried out a single word, loaded with sorrowful agony.

"Yuuummiiiiikkoooooooooo!"

Sasuke grinned to himself. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all. As soon as he thought the words, Sakura came jogging over to him.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Saskue-kun. When we get back to Konoha, do you want to go get some lunch or something? We can celebrate being home together!"

Dammit!

* * *

_A/N : _Alright! Finally, chapter thirteen is out. The first chapter of the new year, huh? Sure hope I did it justice. Well as you can see the Wave arc is finally concluded. Haku and the Demon Brothers have agreed to accompany Naruto to Konoha. Zabuza is missing, presumed being mind-f***ed, and Wave, err I mean Ruusan is on its way to becoming a global superpower.

For those of you who don't recognize the name and for some of you who might, Ruusan is the name of the planet where the Brotherhood of Darkness and the Army of Light had a series of battles, eventually resulting in the Sith releasing an ancient technique known as the... you guessed it, Thought Bomb.

Obviously, I have changed a few of the details in the book _'Path of Destruction' _(Awesome book, btw and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Star Wars stuff.) to match my own maniacal and admittedly devious ends.

Well, now that you guys are starting to realize just how far my madness goes ;), I am going to sign off. No promises when the next chapter will be out, but it might very well be a couple of weeks so don't hold your breath for too long. I will be keeping track of chapter progress on my profile, for those who are interested.

Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai

P.S. Aah, as a side note my Beta Reader PhoenixMasterOfTheSevenSwords has handed the reins over to Dingo T. Wilds. All of PhoenixMaster's previous stories are in the process of being restored, refreshed, and re-posted By Dingo so those who recognize the name, go check it out.


	14. Debriefings

**Ch. 14 : Debriefings**

_A/N : Returning to Konoha, Settling in, and A new... saboteur?_

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

* * *

**- Road to Konoha : Team Seven + Haku Trio -**

Naruto had to admit, while there was some lingering animosity from his own team to Haku and the brothers, it was nothing out of control. In fact once you got past the front they put up, Gozu and Meizu were both as he had once been. Pranksters at heart.

"So by the time he realized we had switched the cans, his workers had already painted half of the building neon green."

"The look on the guy's face was hilarious. Of course, then we had to run for it. Who would have guessed he would have Shinobi training?"

Naruto chuckled in appreciation of the greatest of arts. Still, they had some catching up to do before they reached his level. His team meanwhile simply shook their heads at the three's antics.

"That's nothing. You know the Hokage Monument in Konoha?"

The brothers gave him a puzzled nod.

"I painted it."

They waited a moment, expecting more of an explanation, but they only got silence.

"You painted it?" Gozu prodded after a few seconds.

"Yup. Ask Kakashi-sensei."

"He's not lying. Imagine the village's surprise when we noticed the grand faces of our city's greatest heroes painted up like geisha."

Gozu and Meizu could only stare at Naruto in outright shock before dropping to their knees before him and bowing repeatedly.

"We are not worthy! We are not worthy!"

Naruto propped his hands on his hips and threw his head back, laughing raucously. Haku smiled at her 'brothers' actions and was glad Naruto seemed to be taking it all in stride. In fact, in the few hours they had spent together, they had grown quite fond of the older blond. It was good to see Gozu and Meizu have so much fun. They had been forced to be serious for far too long, and it simply went against their nature.

"Alright you guys, quit goofing off so much. We are still on a serious mission, and we _are_ in the presence of enemies... technically... I guess."

While it was obvious Kakashi had been addressing Naruto specifically, Gozu and Meizu saw the chance to irritate the Jonin. Naturally, they couldn't pass it up. As one they both leaped to attention, giving a crisp salute.

"Sah Yes, sah! Serious, sah!"

"You hear that brudda! Wez got enemiez to bash!"

"Indeed brudda! Let's get to paying attention then! ATTENTION!"

Both brothers stood straighter than natural, arms and legs bolt straight and heads tilted up slightly.

"Platoon! Fo'wa'd. MA'CH!"

"Left, Right, Left, Right!"

Kakashi had to restrain himself from knocking the two young punks to the ground for such disrespect. They were mocking him! Though he had to admit, it was pretty funny. Sakura had no such inhibition.

"You two idiots! Show Kakashi-sensei some respect!"

"Sah! Enemy at the rear!"

"Double time, Gozu! Double time!"

Naruto had to hold his ribs to stop himself from collapsing from laughter at the sight of the 'Demon Brothers' running in terror from an irate Sakura, intent on braining them. It was quite literally one of the funniest things he had ever seen. Even Kakashi had to give a reluctant laugh.

When Naruto could finally breath again, he turned to Haku with lingering tears still in his eyes.

"Are they always like this?"

The girl shrugged somewhat, still smiling.

"Kind of. This is how they are naturally, but they haven't had a chance to relax in a long time. What with running from hunter-nin and traveling with Zabu-..."

Naruto saw her flinch at the name of her dead master, and he hastened to change the subject.

"So hey, have you ever been to a city like Konoha before?"

The girl bit her lip and shook her head. She was glad that he had changed the subject, but at some point she was going to have to get over her pain every time Zabuza's name was mentioned. It was disrespectful to her new Master, after all.

"No, sir. I haven't. Wave was actually the biggest city we have been in so far. It will be interesting to see how things are in a big city."

Kakashi glanced over in surprise at what the girl had called Naruto, but he was far past caring any more. That didn't mean he would stop keeping an eye on them though. Naruto may have had a strange way of changing people around him, but it wasn't infallible and there was no way he was going to let his student be betrayed.

"Now remember, I honestly don't know exactly what is going to happen when we get to Konoha. You have never served in a hidden village's Shinobi forces and aren't technically a Missing-nin. Plus with your bloodlimit you will probably be offered a place under Konoha's protection through a probationary period until you prove yourself trustworthy. The other two though... they are Missing-nin so the rules are a little different. They aren't exactly powerful enough to serve as a major threat, but they have abandoned a village before, so they aren't going to be received all that warmly. Fortunately for you guys, you have a Konoha Shinobi who is willing to vouch for you. This will give you some leeway, but anything and everything you do will be monitored and Naruto will be subject to blame for anything you do."

Haku nodded seriously at that, making a note to keep Gozu and Meizu under control. She wasn't about to put any more pressure on Naruto after he was willing to go out on a limb to save them from their life of running. She made a mental note to talk to Gozu and Meizu about it later on, before they got themselves into too much trouble.

"Hatake-san, in Wave when Naruto made his speech... what did he mean when he was speaking of the village? Do they really hate him as much as he says?"

Kakashi was silent for a moment as he deliberated on what to say. He couldn't come outright and say _why_ they treated him that way, obviously. Technically the Third's law only applied to Konoha citizens, but Haku wasn't a citizen... yet. On the other hand, he couldn't lie and tell her nothing. She would see for herself as soon as they walked through the gates.

"He wasn't lying. Ever since the day he was born Konoha has... its hated him. He serves as a living reminder of everything that was lost thirteen years ago. Fortunately most of their animosity ended with glares or ignoring him, but that is still a hell of an environment for a young boy to grow up in."

It hurt Haku that the gentlest of Shinobi Villages would treat someone like that, but it seemed like Naruto had managed to get through it smiling.

"He said something about only recently having two men teach him or something, what did he mean by that?"

Kakashi seemed surprised at the question, and he glanced down at her from his book. It was lucky that he always kept a spare on him, otherwise he might have had to walk all the way from Wave to Konoha without his precious reading material. All because of... _her._

"Why are you asking me? Go ask him for yourself, I'm sure he could tell you more than I could anyway. Hell, you might even get more information than I did."

Her response was cut off when HK-47 made an announcement.

"**Observation: **Master, it would seem Konoha has come into view. We shall be there shortly."

"Excellent, thank you HK. You hear that, Kakashi-sensei? We're almost home!"

That got the attention of everyone present and they all gathered in a group again. No one noticed the glare coming from Haku, directed toward the Hunter-Killer Droid. For the first time since they left Wave, Kakashi slid his book back into his equipment pouch.

"Okay guys, let me tell you what's going to happen. We are going to go to the Hokage Tower together and me and my students are going to drop off the mission report. After that we are going to get paid and Sasuke and Sakura will probably be able to leave. Because of Naruto being himself though, _I'm_ going to have to do a crap load of extra paperwork." He grunted noncommittally at this. "Then the Hokage will decide whether or not he wants to allow Haku and the Brothers to stay in Konoha or not."

"What are you talking about, Sensei? Of course he will. The Old Man's great like that!"

The Demon brothers stared at the disrespect in Naruto's tone while speaking of his Hokage. The could only imagine what would have happened had someone called the Mizukage that!

"Anyway, after that assuming they are allowed to stay, they will be given a place to stay."

"What are you talking about? They're going to stay with me. I've got plenty of room after all, and it gets kinda weird having only Droid's and teachers walking around."

Kakashi didn't have the chance to berate Naruto for interrupting again, because they had already reached the gates of Konoha. The stationed Chunin guards at the check-in gate came out to greet them and Kakashi recognized them. Surprisingly, so did Naruto.

"Izumo! Kotetsu! What's up guys!"

The two Chunin glanced over to the familiar voice and their eyes widened at the dramatic changes in their friend.

"Holy crap! Naruto, is that you?"

"Damn straight!"

The boy strode forward, tall and proud. Kotetsu whistled in appreciation at Naruto's new stature and left Izumo to deal with Kakashi.

"Hmm, you look different. Did you do something with your hair? And your clothes... and the fact that you are HUGE NOW! You used to be a midget, but now you're almost as tall as I am."

Naruto laughed in outrage at that.

"What are you smoking! I'm way taller than you are!"

"Bull crap! You barely come up to my chin!"

Kakashi and Izumo did their best to ignore their respective teammates as they stood face to face, trying to make themselves taller than the other, despite being about the same height.

"Alright, everything seems to be in order. Your clearance has been granted, welcome home."

"Thanks, Izumo. Good to be back. Alright you guys, Naruto stop comparing sizes with Kotetsu and get over here! We need to go to the Hokage's office so I can finally get away from you guys."

Haku laughed into her hand at the way Naruto grew pink at his teacher's comment. He was so cute when he was embarrassed.

Izumo watched them walk away, watching the newcomers closely while Kotetsu just laughed and called back to Naruto.

"Hey Naruto! Once you're done with the Hokage, you should come hang out when our shift is over! We haven't seen you since you were still in the academy!"

"You got it man! Later guys."

Kotetsu and his partner watched as the group disappeared into Konoha and the gate closed behind them.

"Did you see how much Naruto changed? What do you think happened?"

Izumo watched the gate for a moment before shrugging and going back to his station.

"I have no idea, but I intend to find out. Now quit being lazy and help me get this crap filed away."

"But its so boring..."

**XxXxXxX**

**- Hokage's Office -**

"Okay, let me get this straight. You're mission was to escort Tazuna-san to Nami no Kuni, which was classified as a 'C-rank' mission. You hadn't even gotten half way to Wave Country before you were attacked by the 'Demon Brothers', who I notice are accompanying you now."

Gozu gave a sheepish wave before Meizu slapped him on the back of the head.

"Upon defeating the enemy, you subdued them and left them in the road, your mission to protect Tazuna taking precedence over taking the two into captivity. Again, before you even got to Wave you were attacked once more by the 'Demon of the Bloody Mist', and fought him to a standstill. With assistance from Naruto's personal companion, he was defeated. Before he could be eliminated, he was assisted by another enemy disguised as a Hunter-nin, who is with you also."

Haku was standing close beside Naruto, trying to keep a cold face. The disregard the Hokage was showing for her old master's life was making it hard though. It was only Naruto's wordless support that helped her get through it, of which she was grateful.

"From there you _finally_ managed to get to Wave, and rest. Only a few days later Naruto here," The boy winced at the tone being directed towards him. "Decided that the safety of his team was less important than helping this village free itself, and so helped a rebel group plan a CIVIL WAR!"

The entire team flinched at the Hokage's shout, and for the first time Naruto started to wonder if he had done the right thing. He wasn't alone, as Kakashi seemed to be having the same doubts.

"Once more, with the help of back-up supplied by Naruto in the form of weapons, armor, and Droids, the revolution was successful, thank god." The last part was muttered, probably to himself, but no one commented.

"While the rebels were fighting for control of the headquarters, Team Seven assaulted Zabuza's companions in a final battle. Now here's the part that gets me. Team Seven and a Droid were up against Zabuza Momochi, the famed A-rank Missing-nin and the leader of the Seven Swordsmen; the last survivor of the Yuki clan in possession of a dangerous Kekkei Genkai that allows control of ice; and the previously defeated Demon Brothers."

Kakashi had a feeling he knew where this was going, and he gradually started inching towards the door in case he needed to make a break for it. Needless to say, his book was long gone.

"That alone is worrying, though I'm sure with Kakashi's help you would have managed. No, what _really_ irks me, is that you DIDN'T have Kakashi with you! Because he went off alone to deal with two would-be assassins, leaving you ALONE to deal with them!"

While the Hokage's outrage wasn't directed towards them, Team Seven, Haku, and the Demon Brothers all moved as far away from Kakashi as they could without pressing themselves against the walls. Kakashi in the meantime, was in trouble. As soon as the Hokage had mentioned the part about having his help, the Jonin had turned and tried to break through the door.

The Killing Intent of the Third froze him in his tracks, and any doubt he might have ever had about the Hokage being fit to lead Konohagakure was wiped clean. He had never been so afraid in his life. And he had served as ANBU Captain!

"Now, Kakashi-kun." That sweet tone scared him even more. "Would you mind what CRACK you were ON!"

"T-they had HK-47 with them..."

His response wasn't satisfactory, and the Hokage slammed his fist on the desk, making it groan in protest.

"OH, well in THAT CASE! It makes it all okay!"

Kakashi felt himself sinking in on himself, and he was starting to wish he had lost the fight against Zabuza.

"He... he was already injured from his last fight! And Zabuza never even got the chance to touch any of the kids!"

For a moment, Kakashi thought the Hokage was going to leap over his desk and attack him. After a moment though, Sarutobi rubbed his eyes and started toying with his pipe.

"That's not the point, Kakashi. You left your students in the presence of an extremely dangerous Missing-nin that had already shown intent to kill. I understand that you did it to protect the client's daughter, but teamwork is one of the biggest points we press as Konoha Shinobi. You don't leave your team behind. Ever."

Kakashi nodded and bowed deeply, ashamed of his actions.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I understand. I sincerely apologize and swear it will never happen again."

Sarutobi nodded, more gentle now. He knew Kakashi got his point, and he trusted that the Jonin wouldn't lose his head like that again in the future.

"See that it doesn't, Kakashi. You are one of Konoha's best, I have the utmost faith in you. Now, is there anything else I should know?"

Naruto shuffled his feet, but when it was clear he had no intention of saying anything, Kakashi elbowed him in the ribs.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?"

"Umm... well you see, after the battle... The people of Wave wanted a... a speech."

The Third didn't know where this was going, but he was absolutely sure that he wasn't going to like it.

"Uh-huh."

"And Kakashi pushed me into it..."

"Hey! Don't bring me into this!"

"So I gave them one..."

The Third cocked an eyebrow at this.

"And why would that be cause for concern?"

Naruto shuffled his feet again, and didn't make eye-contact.

"Because they kinda voted me to be their leader. Oh, and it's called Ruusan now."

There was silence in the Office for a short while before a loud crack. The Third stared down at the two halves of his pipe before sighing and pulling a new one from a desk drawer.

"And what do you plan to do with this? Now that they have voted you to be their... leader."

"I'm not sure. I need to seek guidance from my Masters before I decide anything."

"Alright, fine. But as soon as you make a decision, I expect you to come to me and discuss it, alright?"

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, Team Seven is dismissed. You shall be paid for a B-rank mission, since we were only compensated for a 'C-rank', but Tazuna has informed me that they shall pay the entire balance for a 'A-rank' as soon as their economy recovers. Naruto and Kakashi, you stay."

Sasuke and Sakura bowed respectfully and made their way out of the office. Normally Sasuke would have pressed to stay, but he had a feeling it would be best if he was nowhere near this next conversation. He really didn't envy his teammate.

With Sasuke and Sakura gone, Haku moved forward to stand close beside Naruto, as though seeking his support, and the two brothers took their places on either side of them. The old man noticed their movement with an approving eye. Years of diplomatic situations had taught him how to read body language, and from what he could tell any of the three newcomers were willing to fight for their right to stay with the boy he once saw as family to him. He also noticed that Kakashi had stood a bit straighter, taking the situation entirely seriously. Apparently there was even more to this than he already knew.

"Now, Naruto. Why don't you start with explaining to me why you thought it would be a good idea to bring three Missing-nin into my village?"

Naruto sighed and dropped his head, thinking carefully on how he was going to phrase his words. He knew the situation was a delicate one, he just wasn't particularly sure how he was going to proceed.

"I... I thought it was best for them."

Sarutobi stared at him with a passive face, showing neither approval nor disapproval.

"And why is that?"

"Well... when they were traveling with Zabuza, its not like they killed people just because they thought it would be fun. They were running from people who wanted to kill them, right? What's so wrong with that? They were protecting themselves and just wanted to find a place to call home where they could be safe."

"As true as that may be, they still attacked Konoha Shinobi. By all rights I should turn them over to Ibiki for even stepping across my borders."

Naruto paled at that, not wanting to send his new friends to Konoha's infamous interrogation expert. While he had never met the man, a few of the classes in Konoha were dedicated to the stronger people in the village. Ibiki's name came up now and then, and it wasn't because the man was so skilled at making friends.

"B-but they only attacked because it was their job! They stopped as soon as they realized they had been lied to! We attacked them in return, but _they_ aren't holding any grudges! I thought Konoha was supposed to be the kindest of the Hidden Villages?"

"Yes, to our own maybe. These are still our enemies!"

"Why?"

The defiance in the boy's tone caught both the Third and his Jonin Sensei by surprise.

"Why are they our enemies? They aren't trying to kill you, or me, or even Kakashi-sensei. We've even been getting along really well once we stopped trying to beat each other to a pulp. The only reason we even fought in the first place was because we got stuck on opposite sides of the mission. It was a twist of fate, and for that you are going to condemn them to being captured by Mist Hunter-nin?"

"Now Naruto, no one said they were going to be captured."

Naruto crossed his arms and gave the old man a serious look.

"Yes they will. Without Zabuza to watch after them and keep them safe, they won't last two weeks. You know that just as well as I do and you know even better what Mist does to their prisoners."

The Third rubbed his forehead. The kid knew how to make a argument, he had to give him that.

"Alright fine. Let's suppose you had a point. Suppose I were to let them remain in Konohagakure, if only for a time. What would you suggest I do with them? Let them walk the streets at their leisure? The civilians would never tolerate it, let alone the Shinobi!"

"You mean like they tolerate me?"

It was a low blow, and they both knew it. Still, the Old Man needed to know that he was serious about this.

"Naruto..."

"Let them stay with me."

Sarutobi looked up into the boy's eyes, and for a moment he could have sworn he saw the shadow of his father standing behind him.

"Let them stay with me in my compound. The village never needs to know that they are there. I have more than enough room for them to live comfortably and they will have everything they need. They serve their probation under my Masters' supervision, and if they are found trustworthy you can decide what to do from there."

"And what if they do something against the rules? There needs to be repercussions for their actions Naruto, you have to realize this."

"I take full responsibility for their actions. The village would love to see me disciplined for something, anyway. That will only give them even more of an excuse. The 'Demon brat' getting punished for four people now, just just himself? You really think people will oppose this as harshly as you're making it seem?"

The Hokage sighed once more, feeling reluctantly proud of the young man before him, despite his irritation.

"You aren't going to give up on this, are you?"

Naruto smiled out of the corner of is eye.

"You know me so well, Old Man."

Sarutobi couldn't help but smile as he drew three sheets of paper from one of many drawers in his antique desk.

"Fine. Have them sign these three papers and you sign each one at the bottom, showing that are vouching for them, and take full responsibility."

Gozu and Meizu both shared an astonished look before almost scrambling over each other in an attempt to get to the pen first. As one they stared at the sheets before them, feeling an elation they hadn't felt in years.

"Are... are you serious? We can really stay, Hokage-sama!"

The man cocked an eyebrow at the enthusiasm from the two young men. These were the 'Demon Brothers'?

"As long as you follow our rules to the letter and stay with Naruto whenever you venture into the village? Yes, you can stay. Just don't give me a reason to revoke your licenses. I'm only letting you remain here because of Naruto."

They bowed together, foreheads almost pressing into the desk before rushing to sign the paperwork. Haku meanwhile, was hesitating and staying at Naruto's side.

"Haku, what's wrong?"

The girl looked up at him, insecurity clear in her eyes.

"Is... is this what you want, Master?"

Naruto frowned at that.

"What do you mean? I thought you wanted a place to live and be safe?"

"It's not that. I just... I don't want to serve Konoha. I want to serve _you_."

He nodded in understanding and looked to the Hokage, who by this point looked about ready to slam his head on the desk. Before Naruto could even pose the question, the Hokage was rummaging through his desk, muttering incomprehensibly under his breath.

"Alright, alright. Fine, here."

Finally finding what he was searching for, the old man slid a different sheet across the desk.

"This will sign your allegiance not to Konoha, but to an existing family. Though that family still has it's allegiances signed to Konoha, so you will still serve us in the end. And I suppose _you two_ are going to want this as well, aren't you?"

Gozu and Meizu only grinned sheepishly, pen still pressed against the initial papers.

"Damn you, Naruto. No one else gives me this kind of a headache on a regular basis, why can't you just give me a break sometimes?"

Naruto laughed and grinned happily while Haku signed her paper, smiling shyly.

"What are you talking about? I've been gone for ages! I've got catching up to do."

Everyone in the room heard the quiet whimper that followed, and Naruto cracked up.

"Don't worry though, I'm pretty sure this will wrap everything up. For now at least."

"Alright, but we are going to talk about this more later, okay Naruto?"

"Yes, sir. Of course. Thank you."

Once the three new recruits had finished signing their papers, he waved at them dismissively.

"Now begone! I am already going to have to pop a couple of pain-killers for my headache and I don't need you making it any worse. Go show them their new home. And no detours! I know what you're like."

"B-but! Ichiraku's!"

Sarutobi laughed at that, knowing of Naruto's one true vice.

"Alright, fine. You can make a pit stop at Ichiraku's, but after that you go directly home, okay?"

He hadn't even finished his sentence before Naruto had taken off, dragging his new companions behind him. He faintly heard an affirmative yelled back at him coming from down the hallway, and he chuckled. It was good to know that the boy hadn't changed after his first 'C-rank' mission.

"Now Kakashi, what is it you needed to talk to me about?"

The masked Jonin stepped forward hesitantly, never dropping from his stance.

"It's, about Naruto actually."

"Why am I not surprised in the least?"

"Yes, but this is serious, Hokage-sama."

The old man nodded and tapped his lips with his pipe. He leaned back in his chair and gave Kakashi an appraising eye. The man was never this official unless something was seriously wrong.

"Very well, report."

"Sir. I have reason to believe that Naruto's loyalties are not to Konoha itself. I believe he has an alternate agenda that doesn't serve Konohagakure."

Sarutobi frowned, but didn't move.

"These are serious allegations, Kakashi. I assume you have some proof of this?"

"The boy himself, sir."

"Explain."

Kakashi shifted slightly under the stern gaze of his superior, well aware once again that this man was the leader of an entire village.

"During the 'speech' that he mentioned, when he was addressing the gathered village of Wa... Ruusan, he spoke of the hatred of the village. What he didn't mention, is that he spoke of his loyalties. From what I've gathered, if this village were to come under attack this very night, he would fight to rescue the Ichiraku family, Iruka, and yourself. After that? He would be content to watch the village burn."

The Hokage sighed sadly and stood from his chair. With exaggerated slowness he moved to the large window behind him and looked over the village.

"Yes... I've gotten that feeling from him before, but who can honestly blame him? I've done everything I can to keep him safe over the years, and I would like to think I have had a positive effect. He was left alone physically, at least, but I can't order people to be his friend. To do so would only make matters worse."

Kakashi was unsure of what to say to that, so he simply remained where he stood stiffly at attention. After a moment of watching the movement outside the tower, the Hokage turned back to Kakashi.

"Yes, I am aware of his feelings. He tries to hide them, but more have seen it for what it is than he knows. Still, I can't just allow him to leave and you know that. Keep an eye on him Kakashi, be there when he needs you. Maybe if we can show him that there are those in Konoha that care for him, he will be less inclined to abandon those who don't. I know for a fact that my own grandson and his two friends have taken to him, but I still think there needs to be more. I wish there was more I could do for him, but you have that opportunity."

Sarutobi dropped into his chair heavily. For the first time that day, he was showing his age.

"Just keep an eye on him Kakashi, and try to stop him from doing anything rash. These new companions of his might be just what he needs, but I'm still not willing to put all of my faith into three newcomers."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi took that as the sign for his dismissal, but when he turned to leave the Hokage stopped him.

"And Kakashi."

The man stopped and turned back. Again, Sarutobi was looking out the window, so he could only make out the back of his chair.

"If he does try to leave... you know what you have to do."

Kakashi hesitated at the order, but he had no choice to obey. The repercussions for such an act were simply to far reaching to allow Naruto to walk away from Konoha on a whim.

"...yes, Hokage-sama."

There was silence for a moment, before Kakashi left the office and closed the door behind him. When he knew he was alone, the Hokage turned back to his desk and pressed his head against the wood. Sometimes he hated being Hokage, and it wasn't anything to do with the paperwork.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Ichiraku Ramen Stand : Naruto and Co. -**

After the mission debriefing, Naruto had wasted no time in making his way to his beloved ramen stand. Along the way he hastily pointed out places of note in the village to his companions. The three following him were in shock. Never before had they been in a village as large as Konoha was. It was massive! Because of their status as Missing-nin they had been forced to avoid major cities or anywhere with a Shinobi population. It felt good to be able to take in the sights, though their senses long since attuned to staying out of the open were driving them crazy.

Judging by the size and prosperity of Konohagakure, they had been expecting something a little bit more... extravagant than the small and somewhat run-down stall that Naruto brought them to.

"So, Naruto. Why are we coming here?"

"Yeah, it doesn't look like anything special..."

Not for the first time since they had started traveling together, Naruto had to resist the urge to beat the crap out of his new subordinates.

"Y'all better watch yourselves! This just happens to be the single best restaurant in all of Konoha."

The two Demon Brothers shrugged and stepped through the curtain leading into the ramen stand. Behind the counter was an old man who was stirring noodles and a much younger girl cleaning dishes.

"Hey old man! Long time no see."

The aged cook's head snapped up, eyes ablaze with righteous fury.

"Who the hell just called me ol-... Well I'll be. Hey, Ayame! Guess who finally decided to step in and pay us a visit?"

The young girl's smile was blinding as she dried her hands on a ragged towel and made her way over to the counter, where Naruto had already taken a seat.

"Well hey there, Naruto. It's been a while since you came by. We were starting to worry that you had finally gotten tired of eating ramen all the time."

Naruto just gave his smile while the girl brought him a steaming bowl of miso without even listening to his order.

"Don't worry, that will never happen. How could I ever give up on your cooking? Besides, I just got back from a pretty long mission to Ruusan."

"Ruusan? I've never heard of it. Is that where you met your new friends?"

Realizing he hadn't introduced his new gang, Naruto gave a small grin and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Heh heh, sorry about that. Ayame, this is Haku, Gozu, and Meizu. And Ruusan is the new name of the country that used to be called Wave. You know, the one with all the islands?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Any friend of Naruto is a friend of Ichiraku's. You're welcome to come here any time. Wave, isn't that the one that got taken over by that one businessman? Gato?"

Naruto was somewhat surprised that Teuchi would know about it, but he just nodded as he kept eating his food. Ayame set down three more bowls of various ramen for the newcomers, all of which were on the house as was customary.

"Yup, that's the one. All we were supposed to do was guard this old guy while he finished building this massive bridge, but of course hings are never that easy."

Ayame untied her apron and hung it up on a peg. Afterward she sat down on a stool next to Naruto and propped her head in her hands, paying attention to everything Naruto was saying.

"Well? What was your mission like? When did these three start following you around? Why did they change the name of the village to Ruusan?"

Naruto chuckled again at all of Ayame's questions. He knew she rarely got the chance to leave the village, and was always eager to hear whatever stories of outside Konoha as she could. He was more than welcome to tell her of his most recent exploits. It was the least he could do for free ramen after all! Well, the first bowl at least. He had no intention of driving his favorite stand out of business.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Path to Compound : Naruto and Co. -**

After the lengthy conversation with Ayame and occasional insight from the old man, Naruto had finally finished his bountiful feast and said goodbye to the family, leaving a hefty tip. With his intense cravings finally sated, Naruto had then started making his way down the now familiar path leading to his new home. Not for the first time he had started to realize just how far into the forest the compound actually was, and he was really glad for the technology he had at his disposal. Making this trip on foot every day would have sucked.

The other three didn't know about that though, nor did they know how long the trip was, which resulted in their current situation.

"Are we almost there yet?"

"Oh my god! I swear Gozu, if one of you two ask that question _one more time_, I'm going to knock your heads together! We'll get there when we get there! Geez..."

Gozu blanched at the outburst and he quieted down, muttering under his breath while his brother laughed at his expense. Haku laughed quietly to herself as well at the look on Gozu's face. The little pout was totally out of place on the killing machine's face.

"Alright, finally we're here. Check it out and be amazed!"

"Uhm... Naruto... there's nothing there."

"Hm? Oh, right. The stealth field."

The three gave each other a look behind Naruto's back, somewhat worrying about their new Master's mental health. Here he was looking like they should have just borne witness to the coolest thing built by man, and they were standing in front of an empty clearing.

"Hey Master Katarn, would you mind dropping the cloak? I've got some people I want you to meet."

"Who are you talking to! Are you feeling al-..."

"HOLY CRAP!"

Haku's concerned question was cut off by Meizu's shout, which actually summed the situation up rather accurately. Not ten seconds after Naruto had talked to thin air, the air in the middle of the huge clearing just sort of... shimmered, and the next thing they knew they were staring at this massive fortress! It was amazing!

"Naruto... what, what is this?"

The blond turned to face them and spread his arms wide, indicating the entire compound.

"This is your new home. What's mine is yours. I'm pretty sure we've got anything you will ever need. Rooms, utilities, weapons, armor, clothes, _really_ good food... the works. Come on, I'll show you around."

Haku and the brothers followed along behind Naruto, wide-eyed. Haku was amazed by the detailed architecture of the surrounding buildings and the massive statues. How such fine detail could be carved into whatever material the walls were made of was a mystery to her.

Gozu and Meizu meanwhile were watching the veritable army of HK-50 Droids preforming various tasks such as carrying large I-beams like the builders in Wave had, shooting targets in a range with their strange weapons, and some were sparring with melee weapons like they had seen some of the people of Ruusan carrying before they had left.

While they didn't get to satisfy their curiosity of everything going on outside the walls of the great pyramid, Naruto seemed to be in a bit of a hurry, so they decided to come back later to finish checking things out.

"Before I give you guys the tour, I have some people I want you to meet. I know you guys have heard me mention my Masters. Well these two are the only two people who have actually given me a home, as well as taught me things I thought were impossible. They are powerful Force users, like I am only a lot stronger."

The others had seen the feats Naruto was capable of, and the idea of someone even stronger than him made them falter. If Naruto could throw a massive column, than what could _they_ do?

Their individual musings were cut off when Naruto activated some kind of security machine on the side of a tall stone doorway, and the stone slabs swung open to allow them access. The corridor revealed to them was of the same black material as the outside and was tall enough to accommodate three people standing on each others shoulders.

Naruto was still explaining the architecture of the compound when his comm link sparked to life, and the sound of blaster fire could be heard through the static.

"_Naruto! We need backup! We are outside the War room and we require immediate assistance!"_

"Master Katarn? What's going on? Why is their shooting going on?"

There was a moment of silence before the comm link returned to life, and when it did a minor explosion could be both heard through the link and felt through the compound itself.

"_I'll tell you when you get here, just hurry!"_

"Got it, I'm on my way!"

"Master, what's going on?"

Naruto didn't stop to reply to Haku's frantic question, instead he started running down the maze of hallways, calling over his shoulder as he ran.

"My Masters are under attack by something, I need to help them! Stay here, feel free to explore just don't touch anything that looks dangerous."

Haku and the brothers could only watch him round a corner and disappear with a dumbfounded expression. If this was usual occurrences around here, maybe they were better off with the Hunter-nin.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Outside War room : Kyle and Bane -**

Kyle Katarn did his best to stay hunkered down behind a slab of fallen onyx, out of the way of incoming blaster fire. His Dark counterpart was doing the same on the opposite side of the hall, in no better condition than he was.

Not long ago Bane had gotten a message from Kyle that the Jedi had made a breakthrough with repairing the Droid damaged by Naruto a few hours ago. Far more skilled in electronics and machinery than Bane was, Kyle had taken it as a personal challenge to fix the HK-50 that Naruto had slammed into a wall shortly before leaving for his mission in Wave.

Progress on the machine had been fairly steady until a discovery had been made that slowed it down to a crawl. Not only was the damage far more severe than was first expected, the Droid wasn't even a -50 in the first place. Apparently the previous grease-monkeys in charge of the Droid's in the compound had been successful in creating an entirely new series of the Hunter-Killer style of Droids.

Designated HK-53, the inner components and matrices of the damaged prototype were alien to Katarn and therefore outside his field of expertise. Never one to give up just for lack of knowledge, Kyle had continued to tinker with the Droid as well as research all the information the compound had on the Droid. For the last month or two, no progress had been made until today.

"Tell me again why you thought it was a good idea to run through its combat protocols?"

Bane's words were hard to make out over the gunfire, and Kyle had to yell back to make himself heard.

"I didn't! I managed to align the circuits enough for me to hook it up to the computer, and it just reactivated itself!"

"Then where did it get the gun!"

Kyle's shrug did nothing to elevate the Sith Lord's mood, and he retaliated by sending a bolt of Force Lightning blindly over his barricade. The electric attack missed the machine, but hit an exposed light fixture, causing it to short out and explode in a shower of sparks.

"Your resistance is futile. Lay down your weapons and step out from cover, or be destroyed!"

The Droid's war cry was followed by another round of blaster bolts, which came dangerously close to Kyle's arm. Kyle's response was to return fire with a charged blast from his personal side arm, his Bryar pistol. The shot caught the Droid directly in the chest, and it fell to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut. After waiting a moment to be sure it was down for good, the two Force users stepped out from their cover and approached it slowly.

"Is... is it dead?"

"How am I supposed to know? You're the gear head here, not me."

Kyle's examination of the heap of scrap was cut short by the sound of Naruto barreling around the corner, flaring his Force channels in preparation for an inevitable conflict. His charge slowed to a stop when he saw the two Force Masters kneeling next to the Droid, noticeably _not_ under attack.

With the immediate danger apparently already resolved, he took a moment to check out the hallway that had once been a battlefield and gave an appreciative whistle.

"Damn, what the hell happened here?"

"Your basic tragedy case. I've seen it a hundred times." Kyle stood up, playing the part of a drama detective, and chewing on a toothpick he had conjured out of nowhere. "High-stress job, best friend makin' time with his girl, I guess it all just got to him. Great cop, before he went rouge. Too bad, he was a good kid."

The Sith Lord could only stare at his counterpart for a moment before shaking his head.

"From what Kyle here has told me, something went haywire in this Droid's programming while he was trying to fix it. This is the same one you threw through the wall before you left. Good to see you returned, by the way."

Naruto laughed at his Master, who was prodding the Droid with his foot to make sure it was 'dead'.

"You drove it crazy? What happened? I thought you were supposed to be great with computers."

"I am!" He huffed indignantly. "I've just never seen this type of Droid before. Some kind of prototype or something. The programming is entirely different from anything I've seen before. Hell, you guys should be glad that it stopped at trying to shot us! It could just have easily decided to detonate it's core and destroyed the compound."

"If we were to thank you every time you _didn't_ get us killed, you would start to think that you were actually doing something useful. Now why don't you haul this scrap heap somewhere out of the way? I do believe our little Naruto has brought friends to play."

Kyle wasn't the only one to grumble indignantly as he called for a few -50s to remove the less than ideal successor to the HK designation. Bane ignored Kyle's muttered complaints, and turned to his apprentice.

"Now, you said something about having some people you wanted us to meet, no? You also need to tell us what happened in Wave."

Naruto grinned and started walking back the way he had came.

"You say that like you don't already know."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Maybe I just want to hear what my student has to say about his first 'big adventure'."

Naruto laughed at Bane's amusement. The Sith Lord rarely made jokes, so it was a nice change of pace.

"Come on. Haku and the guys are probably wondering where we got to, if they aren't getting into trouble already."

**XxXxXxX**

**- Droid Maintenance : Haku and the Brothers -**

"Gozu, the Master said not to touch anything! You shouldn't play with that."

"No, Naruto said not to touch anything that looked _dangerous_. This isn't dangerous, is it Meizu?"

"Nope. It looks more like a kid's ball or something, but metal."

Haku frowned at the misbehavior of her 'family'. Even with that technicality, she was pretty sure that they shouldn't be messing around with things they found lying around. Hell, even wandering around in this massive place was probably a bad idea.

Gozu had gotten bored of just standing around after Naruto had left, and decided to try to find him. Of course Meizu had been right behind him, forcing Haku to follow after to keep them out of trouble.

'A lot of good that did me.'

The first corner they had came to, they had seen Naruto turn left so they went left as well. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only turn separating them. After a few guesses and I-think-he-went-this-ways, they were well and truly lost. Not long ago they had decided to stop wandering and chosen a door at random and hoped to ask for directions from one of the Droids patrolling the corridors.

The room they had chosen didn't have something they could get directions, but something far worse. Shiny things. _Lots_ of shiny things. Before she could even force the other two out of the room, they had separated and started shifting through things, checking out the various parts of deactivated Droids. The room was probably some kind of storage area for upgrades, or... something.

Meizu had been the first to see the... whatever it was, and Gozu had leaped at the chance to break the rules. The ball he held in his hands was less than a foot across, but judging by Gozu's surprise when he picked it up, it was heavier than it looked.

"Hey, check it out! There's some kind of seam down the middle of it. I think its supposed to open up."

As though brought to life by his comment, the metal ball jerked in Gozu's hands and startled him into dropping it. With a yelp of surprise, both Gozu and Meizu eagerly put some distance between themselves and the machine while Haku drew a handful of senbon in case it was hostile.

Propelled by some kind of hidden mechanism, the ball rolled around in tight circles for a moment as though searching for something before falling still.

"Do you think its-..."

Meizu's sentence was cut off when a strange pop came from the ball, which split in two revealing an insect like machine with multiple appendages, all armed with a variety of sharp and mean looking instruments. The Droid flicked out its four long, spindly legs as though testing them before running back and forth in the same circle it had made as a ball.

"What the hell is that thing!"

Gozu's shout of alarm must have scared it, because it gave a shrill scream. Surprised by the scream, Gozu yelled out in alarm as well, causing the Droid to scream again, then run behind one of the many unopened crates to hide. The young assassin held a hand over his heart and huffed for breath while his brother practically rolled with laughter.

"Well I'm glad you find this funny, Meizu. But I told you not to touch that thing."

"Yeah, well. How was I supposed to know it was alive?"

"It doesn't matter now, does it? All we can do now is try to get it back into a ball before Naruto comes back."

Meizu nodded in agreement while Gozu finally got himself under control. With a nod to each other, they both drew their battle chained gauntlets and prepped to do battle with the small metal monstrosity. Haku decided to take an entirely different approach however, and instead got on her knees a few feet from the box the small Droid had taken cover behind.

"Hey there? Are you okay, little guy?"

"Are... are you really talking to that thing?"

Gozu's incredulous look spoke volumes, and Haku huffed in response.

"Look, we don't have to attack everything we see on sight. That's what got us into trouble in the first place." She turned back to trying to peer into the shadows concealing the Droid. "I'm sorry for my friends, they can be a little... retarded."

"Hey!"

To her surprise, a bizarre chattering sound came from behind the crate and one of the thin metal legs poked out around the corner, as though probing for danger.

"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. Neither are the others, you're safe."

With obvious reluctance the small creature poked one half of its orb like carapace, and a small red photoreceptor around the corner. Haku rewarded its bravery by smiling gently and lowering herself to make herself appear less threatening.

"You know, once you get passed the fact that it has a circular saw for a hand, its pretty... cool."

As though it understood the words being spoken around it, the Droid chirped lightly and reached out with the arm equipped with the saw. Instead of attacking with it though, it held it up in front of its glowing red 'eye', and spun it a few times, toying around with it.

Haku laughed softly at the strange thing's behavior, then reached out very slowly and cautiously.

"You're a strange one, aren't you?"

The Droid backed away in a panic when it saw Haku's hand reaching for it, but once it saw that she wasn't aggressive, it regained its courage and edged toward her. When it was only a few inches away, it reached out with one of its pronged appendages and tapped Haku's finger a few times experimentally. Haku giggled at the tickling sensation and the cold metal, and the Droid seemed to cock its head for a second before repeating the chattering sound it had made earlier.

"I think it's... laughing."

"You're right."

The young woman ignored the other two, focusing instead on the Droid that was now entertaining itself by poking and prodding each of her fingers in turn.

"What are you?"

The Droid considered the question for a moment before turning back to the shadowed corner it had come from. Haku almost called out to it for it to come back, but the sound of sawing and heavy contents being shifted stopped her. Shortly after it returned, this time dragging a piece of something behind it, with writing on one side. It stopped in front of Haku and looked between the material and her proudly.

"What is this?"

The Droid made a frustrated chatter and nudged the paper forward with one of its legs. Haku got the idea and picked up the piece of paper, which she recognized as part of a label for one of the many crates decorating the room.

"Pistoeka Sabotage Droid, huh? Is that what you are?"

The Droid circled again, chirping happily at finally being identified.

"Well that's way too long of a name for us to call you. How about... Pisto?"

It fell still and silent for a moment, deliberating seriously before making its laughing sound again and leaping onto her folded knee. The jump caught Haku by surprise, and she laughed when Pisto circled her waist and ran up her back. For such sharp metal appendages, it was surprisingly gentle at running up her skin, even through her relatively thin fabric.

"Then its settled! You'll be Pisto from now on."

"Well its good to see that you have made a new friend already, though I _did_ say not to touch anything."

Both Haku and Pisto gave a startled yelp of surprise, and the later ran into the loose robes that offered cover.

"I-I'm sorry, sir. Gozu got bored and wanted to find you."

"So we started wandering, trying to catch up but you had disappeared and before we knew it we were lost."

"And this room had all kinds of really cool looking stuff, and there was this ball..."

Naruto held up a hand to cut off their desperate apologies, though he took no small amount of amusement in the way Gozu was slowly inching behind Meizu, using his brother as a meatshield without him noticing.

"Would you guys relax? I'm not worried about you breaking anything or something like that. I just didn't want you to stumble across anything you couldn't handle in a fight. Anyway, like I had mentioned earlier I have some people I want you to meet."

For the first time Haku and the brothers noticed the presence of two tall strangers, both towering over even Naruto's considerable frame. One was wearing casual clothes and the other billowing black robes and a lowered hood that exposed pale skin and a shaved head.

"On my left is Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Bane. On my right is Jedi Weapon Master, Kyle Katarn. They are my Masters, and have taught me everything I know. Almost literally."

The casually dressed one, Kyle, laughed and ruffled Naruto's hair, earning a sour look from his apprentice.

"That's right. When we took him in he was barely a squirt that didn't even know how to dress well. Now look at him? He's... a slightly bigger squirt."

"Bite me!"

"Ignore the Jedi, he is somewhat of a simpleton."

"Oh screw you, Bane!"

The gathered younger adults all laughed at the banter, before Naruto straightened up and turned back to his Masters.

"These are the three I brought back with me from Ruusan after their Master was killed by HK-47. Gozu and Meizu are the two with the faces, and Haku is the pretty one."

Haku blushed at that, but hoped no one noticed. The buzz Droid inside her robes must have sensed something though, because it chirped and popped out from the back neckline of her clothes.

"Oh hey! You found one of the old Buzz Droids! I knew they were around here somewhere, I just haven't been able to find them for the life of me."

Kyle strode to the young woman and reached out to pick up the Droid. Pisto was lifted into the air easily, but chattered in disapproval and lashed out at the Jedi Master with a bladed claw tip. Kyle yelped at the pain and dropped the Droid while he squeezed his hand in the other.

Pisto fell to the stone floor and bounced before falling on his side. It was only inactive for a second before it started scrambling in an attempt to right itself.

"Little bastard cut me! What the hell is it with Droids in this place always attacking me, and being disrespectful and crap? I'm a nice guy. I really am!"

While Kyle used to Force to heal the light wound, nothing more than a scratch really, Bane crossed his arms.

"Now that the immediate drama is over with, I expect a full report on the details of your mission."

Naruto nodded, switching over to serious mode immediately.

"Yes, Master. We were only walking for about half an hour, right?..."

**XxXxXxX**

**- Corridors to Personal Chambers -**

The full debriefing had taken longer than Naruto had expected, because his Masters had insisted on asking a multitude of questions about the events that had occurred during the mission. While they had shown approval for most of it, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something. That there was some detail he hadn't taken into account that he should have. He put his mind to rest with the justification that if it was important, they would have told him. It wasn't like they weren't going to talk about it again, either. Bane had mentioned that everyone was too tired to get into anything serious, and that they would continue the discussion when everyone was rested.

By the time they had finally started winding down, the sun had long since set, and Naruto and his gang were starting to feel the fatigue set in from their long travel. After a short discussion of lodgings, it was decided that they might as well take rooms close to Naruto's so he could show them around in the morning without fear of them getting lost.

"Alright, this is where you guys are going to be staying. Gozu, you and Meizu are going to have the doors across from each other down the hall there. Haku, you can have your pick of the rooms on the hallway, they're all empty."

"What about Darth Bane and Jedi Master Kyle?"

Naruto shrugged.

"Honestly, I don't know. I know they have their own chambers somewhere around here, but they never told me where. Probably so I couldn't mess with them while they are asleep or something. Kyle can be pretty paranoid sometimes."

Gozu and Meizu just shrugged at that, not really caring one way or another. Right now the only thing they could focus on was the idea of their own rooms. After so long on the road and sharing everything, they had practically been forced to abandon any hope of personal space. It looked like their luck really was changing for the better. It was about damn time, in their shared opinion, though they knew Haku had suffered for it the most.

With the Demon Brothers gone, Naruto had the thought that this was the first private moment he and Haku had shared since the day they had met in the forest. Haku seemed to have thought the same thing as well, because her cheeks were tinted the slightest shade of pink.

"Well, I'm pretty worn out from everything that happened today. I'm probably going to get an good night's sleep. Tomorrow morning I'll be sure to show you the supplies warehouse so you can pick out a new wardrobe of your own. N-not that there's anything wrong with your clothes of course! It's just that I thought you might like some different stuff."

Haku couldn't help but laugh at Naruto's embarrassment. He was cute when he was flustered.

"I'd like that. Maybe I will finally have the chance to pick out some clothes without worrying about where I would hide my senbon."

Naruto smiled at her joke and rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what he was supposed to say. He had never really been good with situations like this, and not even all the information his Masters had 'downloaded' to his brain helped him out. Fortunately Haku helped relieve him of his dilemma. Unfortunately, it was in a way that possibly made it even more awkward.

Slowly and fluidly, Haku sunk to her knees before Naruto and bowed her head to the floor in respect.

"Thank you, lord. For giving my brothers and I a... a home. As I promised before, I swear to serve your every wish until my dying breath. Whatever your command, I shall obey."

Naruto's mind drew a blank for a moment, completely at a loss for words. Apparently his silence must have given the Haku the wrong idea, because her face went a bright red, and she turned away.

"I-if t-that is what you wish, then..."

"NO no no! That's not, you don't have to... uh..."

The two shared a look with each other before they both started laughing at their own embarrassment. For a moment their laughter was the only sound in the hallway, but they quieted for a moment, though the tense atmosphere had faded.

"Haku, I'm really happy that you decided to come with me. You'll always have a home with me, you all will. Now go rest, okay? I think we could all use it."

Naruto offered Haku his hand, and though she didn't need help to get up she took it anyway. Her rationalization was that she didn't want to offend him. It didn't have anything to do with feeling the warmth of his skin, or the fluttering of her stomach. Really!

"Goodnight, Haku."

"Goodnight, sir."

The blond watched as Haku entered the room to his left and closed the door behind her. As soon as he heard the door seal itself shut, he sagged against the wall and pressed his forehead against the cool stone.

"What was I thinking? That was so _stupid!_"

The two HK-50 Droids assigned to stand guard at his door shared a look before the talkative one laughed.

"Aww, is the Master in... gasp... love?"

The glare it received in return was enough to make it reconsider its comment and how much it enjoyed life.

"Shut up, Droid."

It could only nod frantically in agreement, not willing to trust itself to speak. Its partner however, had no such inhibitions at laughing at its colleague. It remained motionless until its Master's door closed before letting itself move again.

"For further notice, the Master can be touchy about romantic situations."

Its partner nodded sagely before taking its position on one side of the door. Sentry duty was one of the most boring assignments they had been stuck with, but at least it was better than the poor bastards who had to wake the Master up in the mornings.

* * *

_A/N : _Well there you are. Once again I present to you a new chapter of 'A New Order'. Only a few days after the publication of my newest project as well, maybe there's something to having more than one at a time. I guess only time will tell. 'Nulla Gratia' is a Naruto x Overlord crossover fic, for anyone who is interested.

I'm not particularly satisfied with how this chapter turned out, but when am I ever, eh? A lot of boring stuff this go round, since it is just winding down until I can start the next arc. I assure you, I will update my profile when I decide enough is enough and get back to work.

Reviews are greatly appreciated, and are printed out before being stuck to my refrigerator... and then thrown into the fires to fuel my muse. I'm just sayin'...

Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai


	15. Presage

**Ch. 15 : Presage**

_A/N : A Month's Respite, choosing allies, and reestablishing friends._

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Star Wars, or any obscure references to other owned or written material, either official or those of fandom. They are all property of associated parties.

* * *

**XxXxXxX**

**- Private Chambers : Naruto -**

Naruto woke in one to the best moods of his life. Judging by the light streaming through the curtains and the shadows it was casting, it was early afternoon. The new 'recruits' had finished their tour at about nine the previous evening, and they had gone their separate ways not long afterward. That meant he had been asleep for the last seventeen hours.

He grinned happily as he rolled over onto his back, staring up at his ceiling and stretching out. Kakashi had let him know that the next week or two was to be down-time after such a strenuous mission, which meant he had some time to kill however he wanted. There was no doubt that his Masters were going to want him to continue his training, but even then he was going to have some time to kill.

The blond threw back his sheets and rooted around in his dresser for a fresh set of clothes and headed for the shower. This was the first time in weeks that he was free to take a shower without having to worry about people interrupting or limited hot water, and he was going to take advantage of it.

By the time he was done the air in the bathroom was thick enough to cut with a knife, and he didn't even bother checking himself in the mirror. He left his personal bedroom with jeans and boots, hair still wet and a dry towel thrown over his shoulders. There was a kitchen full of hot food waiting for him, then he was going to hit the weight room.

"Good afternoon, Master. I hope you aren't still mad about my comment last night. I had no intention to offend, I just-..."

"Just relax, alright? Don't worry about it."

Naruto cut off the Droid's apology with a wave over his shoulder. He harbored no more malice for the machine. It was just cracking a joke at his expense. Couldn't blame it for that much. He probably would have done the same thing, had it been someone else after all.

"The new arrivals have been up and about for the last few hours, Sire. Their personal guides showed them where they wanted to go. They all went to the warehouse at first, though I don't know where they went after that."

The young Force user called a thanks over his shoulder without stopping. There was a stack of pancakes with his name on it, just _waiting_ for him.

–-

The smell of cheese burgers permeated the hallways, growing stronger as one neared the cafeteria area. The sound of group laughter quickly followed, and Naruto quickened his pace. Sure enough, both of his Masters, Haku, Gozu and Meizu, and HK-47 were gathered around one of the tables closest to the double doors leading to the kitchen.

"...So by this time the Droid is pretty much pissing himself, right? So this other one is all like, 'You are all cowards! I'll show you how its done!'. It kicks the door open like it owns the damn place and starts to yell out his name."

"So what happened then?"

"Well he barely gets out 'good morning' before he gets hit with a Force Push that sends it out the door, past all the others, and _into_ the wall on the opposite side. Left an imprint in the stone that had to actually be repaired."

Gozu laughed around his half-eaten burger, and even Haku giggled at her Master's antics. Who would have guessed he would be such trouble in the mornings?

"Just couldn't resist talking about me behind my back, eh Master Kyle?"

"What have I told you about that, kid? It makes me feel old, dammit."

"_Feel old_? Have you looked in a mirror lately? You're like, ten years older than god man!"

Naruto ducked under the glass that came flying over his head, laughing at his teacher's expense. Kyle was glaring at his apprentice, but there wasn't any real malice behind it.

"Well, its good to know that your first serious mission didn't change you too much... I guess..."

Naruto dropped casually into an empty chair next to Meizu and took a paper plate from the stack, loading it with food. Naruto didn't catch the blush Haku was sporting, nor the mischievous grin Kyle had when he saw it.

"So Naruto, I knew you said you had a place of your own that we could stay at, but we had no idea you meant something like this! I mean hell, the warehouse alone is massive. Where in the hell did you get all that stuff?"

The blond sighed happily as he chewed his burger. Medium rare, dripping with juice and melty, cheesy, goodness.

"Well," He answered around his mouthful of food, earning a cocked eyebrow from Bane. He caught it and swallowed before continuing. "This place has been around for ages before I even knew it existed. The people who owned it before me used it to store all the things they gathered over the period of time since it was built. In case you couldn't figure it out yourself, its been around for freaking ever."

"Well, that would explain all the different designs. There are so many different styles in there that I have never even heard of before! I can't wait to go through it in more detail later."

Gozu and Meizu shared a look at their younger 'sister's' expense. She had spent over three hours running between shelves this morning alone. How much more time could she possibly need? They had gone in, found some clothes and equipment they liked and been out in a sixth of that.

Naruto looked over at Haku for the first time, and almost choked on his food. Her formal kimono and turtle-neck had been replaced with a white sleeveless button-down shirt, and a surprisingly tight pair of jeans. Her hair was down and she had kept the black choker she wore when Naruto had seen her in the woods.

She caught Naruto looking at her, and she smiled softly before averting her eyes in embarrassment. The Demon Brothers noticed the exchange between them, and they made a note to have a little chat with Naruto about messing with family. They might trust Naruto with their lives, but not with their surrogate sister's heart. He would have to earn that one separately.

"Oi! No flirting at the table you two, I don't want to lose my lunch before I even get to finish it."

Naruto turned red for a moment before yelling at Kyle about being a perverted old man. He might have grown up since they had taken him under their wing, but some things just never changed. Bane took the moment to speak up for the first time that morning.

"While that's all well and good, I have to ask. What do you plan on doing now that you have a few people looking to you for guidance, Naruto? What do you expect them to do?"

Everyone gathered looked at Naruto expectantly, apart from HK who was polishing his rifle with an oil stained rag. Put on the spot, the blond just shrugged.

"I uh... I don't know?"

Kyle rolled his eyes while the three younger people blanched at their commander. They had expected him to at least have some short term plans. Bane meanwhile, crossed his arms, indicating his displeasure.

"You mean to tell me that you are gathering forces without any thought as to what you plan to do after you have them?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, not liking where the conversation was heading. He had just gotten back from his mission, and he was already getting grilled. This was bullshit!

"What do you want from me? I'm still new to this shit. I thought you guys were going to walk me through this whole 'leadership' thing."

"Walk you through? No. Guide you and catch you when you fall on your ass? That we can do."

The boy glared over at Kyle, but the man didn't give an inch as he stared right back. He was being serious here, and Naruto knew it.

"We aren't going to tell you everything you need to know. We lack the time, and much of it you need to learn through experience anyway. All we can do is provide the lesson."

"Wait a minute. So you want me to learn without teaching me anything? How is that supposed to make sense!"

Bane frowned at his tone.

"We aren't teaching you to become a productive member of society. We aren't even trying to work you into running a successful business here, kid. You are our legacy, and as such things will be expected of you that normal people wouldn't be able to manage in a hundred years. If you think this is going to be fun and games, you've got a sore wake-up call coming!"

"Kyle is right. The time for making last minute decisions is long past, and now you have to start thinking things through. You did well in Ruusan, don't get us wrong. But at the same time, don't let that fool you into thinking we're done here. Time is running out, and there is still much you have to learn if you are going to be ready."

Naruto grunted in aggravation, and dropped his food onto his plate, forgotten.

"Ready for what! All you ever tell me is vague ramblings and cryptic riddles. I don't even know what you plan for me to _do, _goddammit!"

As soon as the boy started shouting, Kyle had thrown his chair back. Not to get into Naruto's face, but to stop Bane from doing whatever it was he had planned. Since awakening, Bane had been on his best behavior. Kyle knew this better than anyone, having been one of the Generals facing Bane personally in the battle leading to the destruction of life on the planet. Still, the Dark Lord of the Sith wasn't always the people person he was now, and at times he would revert to his old personality; Darth Bane.

Kyle's preemptive attempt was too little too late, and before he even cleared his seat, Bane had lashed out with the Force and gripped Naruto by the throat. The bald Sith lifted Naruto with the Dark Side until his feet were dangling at table level.

"Don't _tempt _me, boy!"

Haku and the Demon Brothers had both paled significantly at the actions of the usually quiet man before them. They had seen and felt Naruto's power during their mission, especially during their fights and it had been something to acknowledge. But this? This was just terrifying.

Naruto meanwhile, was practically having a heart attack. Never before had he seen either of his Masters so angry. For a moment as he hung by his throat and looked the Sith Lord in the eyes, he was forcefully reminded of why he was only the apprentice, and Bane was the master. But while he should have felt fear, all he felt was... rage.

As he hung, humiliated and fighting vainly to draw breath into his lungs, he wanted nothing more than to lash out against his Master. To use the dark power the beast within had gifted him with to wound his teacher in same manner in which he wounded his pride. Even now he heard the Kyuubi, Mikhail, whispering his loathsome words into his ear. Urging him to strike out. To use the Force to put his Master on the ground at his feet. And honestly? He wanted nothing more than to do as commanded.

Kyle frowned as Naruto's face darkened. Hatred and rage flashed across the boy's visage, and he knew Bane saw it just as well as he did. That kind of emotion wasn't of the Light, and it was all too possible that Naruto would fall to it if they weren't careful.

Whether Bane agreed with him or not, he wasn't sure. Either way, he let the boy drop to the ground, and Naruto supported himself on the table to prevent his knees from buckling underneath him.

"You want to know what we expect from you? Fine. You are to continue your training until you can best both Kyle and myself in battle. Soon after you are to leave this village alongside every Droid here. We are currently working on reactivating some of the larger transport vehicles in storage. When that day comes, you shall take everything of use, including the contents of the Warehouse, Armory, and storage areas to bolster the reserves of Ruusan. There is likely to be confrontation that day, on a massive scale so you will need to expect battle. When everything is ready, you will leave Konoha for the last time, taking with you everyone you feel will benefit you and your new home. It will be at your discretion who will be useful to you or not. From there on you will be on your own."

While not forgotten, Naruto set aside his anger for a moment.

"What do you mean I will be on my own? Where will you two go?"

Bane's eyes flashed with something unreadable, before he shook his head.

"That is no concern of yours. Just know that we will no longer be capable of providing you with any instruction. You will have to have your goals in order by then."

Naruto seemed like he was about to retort for a moment, but slung the towel across his shoulders and turned his back on the group instead.

"Well I guess I have some work to do then, don't I?"

"Naruto! Where are you going?"

Naruto didn't look back at Kyle as he left the cafeteria. The two men knew to leave Naruto to his own devices for a while before approaching him again. Sometimes it was necessary to remind students of their place. This was a fact shared by both the Jedi and the Sith, though as in everything, their methods differed immensely. Kyle had to wonder if Bane had done the right thing by attacking Naruto as he had, or if it would only serve to drive the boy away from their teaching.

Haku watched her new Master leave, and her heart ached as she saw the hatred he was emanating with every step. She meant to talk to him later, after he had calmed down some. The Demon Brothers didn't share the same amount of tact, and she had to grab their sleeves as they made to follow him.

"Wait. Give him some time to cool down first, okay?"

The twins shared a look and shrugged out of Haku's grip.

"We'll give him ten minutes..."

"...but he can't be alone right now."

Haku pursed her lips, but nodded carefully. While being under Zabuza's command had somewhat helped their temperament, the two had somewhat of a reputation for their tempers. Meizu especially had a short fuse, so it was granted that he would know something about these bouts of rage. She would put her trust in them to know how to deal with the situation, and apparently so were the two older men watching them with thinly veiled approval.

They followed Naruto out of the cafeteria and into the halls, before they lost track of him in the maze of corridors that made up the compound. When the three were gone, Haku turned to Kyle and Bane.

"Did you really mean what you said? Are you really expecting Naruto to do all of that?"

Kyle sighed loudly in irritation and sat back down, sinking his face in his hands.

"Yeah, yeah we do. That boy has a hell of a destiny laid out before him, and as he is it would destroy him. We need to make sure he is prepared in the next month or two. Time is fast running out, and we can only hope we can pull this off. "

Bane remained standing and just stared at the door through which Naruto had left.

"There are things to come that he will not be able to handle on his own however, even if we had a hundred years to teach him. This is where you will come in."

"M-me?"

Kyle put a hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly.

"Yeah. I think its about time we had a little chat."

**XxXxXxX**

**- Weight Room : Naruto -**

"Fifteen. Sixteen..."

'_You're pathetic. A coward.'_

"Seventeen. Eighteen..."

Naruto grunted the numbers as he bench pressed the iron weights. He was up to his own body weight, but he still wasn't satisfied with his progress.

_'He had you by the throat, he humiliated you in front of your slaves, and you did _nothing.'

"Nineteen. Twenty."

He put the set the weights back on their stand and wiped the sweat from his face with the now damp towel he had brought. Mikhail had been whispering his venom ever since he had exited the cafeteria, and it wasn't doing his mood any favors. He knew he was being manipulated, sure. The same as he knew the Kyuubi was a scumbag that couldn't be trusted. That didn't mean he was lying though. Every word it had spoken had been the stinging truth, and he was even more disgusted with himself now than he had been while it was happening.

He threw the towel to the side and added another twenty pounds to the bar.

"You're going to shred your pecs if you keep going like this."

Naruto closed his eyes as he heard Gozu and Meizu approach, but he didn't reply. He only laid back down on the bench and took a deep breath to brace himself before lifting the bar from its support.

The Demon Brothers looked around the room, checking out the different equipment that they had never seen before. Gozu picked up an heavy dumbbell and started curling them while his brother started up a treadmill, not far from Naruto.

"Haku's worried about you, you know."

Naruto didn't say anything as he focused on pressing the weights. He didn't feel any better, now that the Kyuubi had actually fallen back into silence, but at least he could try to calm himself down without lashing out in irritation.

"She's seen people she care about tear themselves to pieces over anger. All the time."

"Yeah, some of which was our fault."

"More like most of it, you ass."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the brother's bickering. He didn't need them to tell him about Haku's disappointment. He had seen the look in her eyes just fine.

"But we didn't come here to bust your balls about that."

"We aren't?"

"Shut up, Gozu. We came to let you know that we've got your back. Even with all this 'building an army and dah da dah'. You gave us a chance, and we'll repay that by serving you."

He didn't say anything, but the twins knew he was listening, all the same.

"Don't get us wrong. We're total crap when it comes to diplomacy, and no promises that whatever you ask us to do, you couldn't do better yourself."

"Hey! Speak for yourself!"

"Seriously, Gozu!"

"Fine, fine. Don't get your panties in a wad."

"But my _point_ is. You can count on us to do what we can, when the time comes. As long as you don't make us have to fight HK. That dude scares the shit out of me."

"And Bane, while we're at it."

"Yeah, him too."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh at that point. He set the the bar on its stand with no small effort, and shook his arms out as he felt them burn and tighten.

"So you guys are serious huh? You've got my back."

The brothers shared a look, surprised that their little speech had done something positive. Meizu honestly hadn't expected it to take.

"Yup! We're your guys."

"To the horribly dramatic, and most likely grisly end!"

"...inspiring."

They all shared a laugh at that, and the smile lingered after he was finished. As he looked over the twins, an idea started to strike him, and he grinned. The other two must have seem something in it, because they got an excited glint.

"You got a mission for us, boss?"

"Actually, I just might. Kyle and Bane said that I was going to need to decide who I was going to bring with me when I left, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well I might as well get a handle on that. And you guys are going to help me. Tell me, how are your stealth and evasion skills?"

Gozu and Naruto both glanced over in surprise at the sound of Meizu tripping on the treadmill and sliding into the wall behind it. Gozu snorted at his brother's expense while he extricated himself from the crumpled heap he had landed in.

"Well, one of our best techniques is the whole 'Hidden in Water' thing, and that worked pretty well. I guess."

"It's better when it rains though."

"Yeah, obviously."

"But it should work pretty well for Genin teams, right?"

Meizu nodded confidently.

"Yeah, sure. In theory."

Naruto decided to ignore that little point.

"Well then, here's what I want you to do. I want you guys to split up and follow the two other Rookie teams in Konoha. Eight and Ten. Team Eight is comprised of Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba. Plus their Jonin Sensei, though I don't know a whole lot about her. You've heard of the Hyuuga clan, right?"

The brothers swallowed and nodded.

"Then you know to be careful of Hinata's Byakugan. It shouldn't give you _too_ much trouble as long as you be careful and stay under the radar. The problem is that they are pretty much exclusively a tracking team, so you will have to be extremely cautious."

"And what about the other team?"

"Team Ten is Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, and Nara Shikamaru. These guys shouldn't give you nearly as much trouble, since they are your basic combat and stalling squad. Just stay out of sight and you'll be fine."

The two nodded and silently decided between them who would shadow who.

"So what exactly are we looking for?"

"I want you to keep an eye out for anyone that looks like they will be beneficial to our operations. I don't want someone who might sort of come in handy. I want people you will be able to help us specifically, and be worth the effort. Got it?"

The two stood at attention and snapped off a salute.

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. It should take you at least a few days to do it right. Only shadow them during daylight hours when you can do so without getting caught. I would do it myself, but I am going to be working on other stuff."

"You can count on us."

"We won't let you down."

Naruto grinned darkly.

"I know you won't."

**XxXxXxX**

**- Ichiraku Ramen : **_The Next Day _**-**

Iruka sighed happily as he made his way down the relatively crowded street. The Academy was out this week for the spring vacation time, and he intended to spend most of it relaxing before he had to go back and deal with the Hokage's grandson and his two partners in crime.

Ever since they had been 'watched over' by Naruto, their attitudes had changed worryingly. Before they had been somewhat troublemakers, always starting fights (Moegi), pulling pranks (Konohamaru), or skiving off in class (All three of them). Now? It was as though they had taken Naruto as an example and tried to imitate his examples. They were total hellions! Now not only did they continue to pull the same crap as they used to, now Konohamaru was getting better and better at roping other students into it. He had had to write more referrals the past month alone than he had for his last three classes, not including the blond himself.

The school teacher smiled as he fondly recalled his favorite student. He had been too busy to see him since the exams, but he had heard good things about him from the Hokage. With the various mission reports came news that Naruto was growing up and maturing, finally. Maybe it had finally gotten to the boy to be a quieter, calmer, and all around more mellowed out version of the old him?

"Look out! Get out of the way! ICH-I-RA-KU'S!"

Iruka's head snapped around fast enough to give him whiplash, and he barely reacted quickly enough to dodge out of the way of a metal contraption that came barreling down the middle of the road, leaving a trail of chaos in its wake. There was only one person who could lave that much confusion in his wake. Sure enough, sitting on the back of the vehicle was a blond mountain of spiked locks.

"Naruto!"

The Chunin jumped to his feet and started to pursue his old student, intent on braining him for scaring him out of ten years of his life. He knew exactly where he was heading too, everyone did after that little stunt.

"Yo, Old Man! Warm up the pot, you've got a long day!"

"Naruto! It's good to see you again, son. It's been an entire day!"

Naruto beamed happily as he took his favorite seat in the middle of the bar. Teuchi yelled for a bowl of pork back to Ayame in the kitchen at the back, then leaned on the counter next to his best customer.

"So what have you been up to lately? And what was with all the shouting?"

"Well I had to get the guys accustomed to the compound and everything. This is the first time I had the chance to get out here."

"Yeah, I guess I can see how that would take a while. But still, what was with you yelling up a storm?"

Naruto grinned as the closest thing he had ever had to a sister brought over a steaming bowl of ramen.

"Thanks, Ayame! Well, I rode my speeder up here and some of the villagers were a little slow getting out of the way. The brakes on that thing aren't exactly perfect."

He was just about to take a bite of the fresh food when Iruka burst into the establishment, yelling his name. Naruto huffed and dropped the noodles back into the hot broth.

"Jeez Iruka-sensei, what do you want? I'm trying to eat here."

"Show some respect, ya little brat! Besides, what do you think you're doing trying to run people down? What the hell is that thing outside the store?"

Naruto whimpered pitifully as he stared longingly at his bowl of food. It was obvious that Iruka wasn't going to just disappear though, so he resigned himself to explaining it. Ayame and her father both gathered round as well to listen to his explanation. They had heard it arrive after all, and Teuchi had caught a glimpse of it through the curtain. They were just as curious as Iruka. Without the shouting of course.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Outside : Shikamaru -**

'Troublesome woman. Making Asuma-sensei get off his lazy butt and train. I had a good thing going, too.'

Shikamaru wandered lazily down the street with his hands in his pockets, staring up at the sky. Team Ten's Jonin Sensei had let them off early today, since they had all had the weird feeling of being watched. Ino had been the first one to pick up on it, but by the end of the session it had been unmistakable.

Still, the lazy Genin was just taking the opportunity to relax before he got back to the Nara compound and his bossy mother.

'She's probably got a ton of chores she wants me to do. I wonder if she has forgotten about my old hiding place in the attic yet?'

As he rounded the corner on a path that cut through the restaurant district, a growing crowd caught his eye.

'Great. They're right in my way, and it will take forever to walk around. Geez, what a drag. Well, I might as well see what they are all staring at.'

The throng was obviously too thick for him to just shoulder his way through, and he couldn't be bothered to even if it wasn't. Instead, he made a Chakra powered jump and made his way over by rooftops, looking over the shoulders of the civilians. What he saw made the largest impact on his interest since he was introduced to Shogi.

The... thing, was big, about ten feet long and brown. The front end stretched out on two bar-like parallel protrusions and ended in a strange 'L' shape with a pair of barrels sticking outward. The body was made of metal like the rest of it, with a seat near the back. Two handles emitted from the sides and angled upward, used for steering. What really drew his attention and the weirdest thing about it was the fact that it was hovering about two feet off the ground.

Shikamaru had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. The sheer power that seemed to radiate from the machine was intoxicating, and he felt himself being drawn to it inexplicably. He dropped down from the roof and got closer to the machine, pushing aside everyone who got between him and the machine. He didn't even register the angry shouts, and he lay a hand on the rumbling engine with single minded devotion.

Immediately his mind started breaking down the machine into its components and analyzing how they interacted to make the work of art as it was. Still, all he had were theories until he was able to open it up and see what made it tick. Spurred on by that thought, Shikamaru glanced around him frantically until he found a blacksmith with a wrench sticking out of his tool belt. With a hastened thank you, he yanked it from the man's belt, ignoring the man's shouts of indignation.

With only a single goal in his mind, Shikamaru approached the hoverbike with a malicious gleam in his eye and cracking his knuckles. Before he was able to begin dismantling it, his dreams were brought to a screeching halt by a voice off to his right.

"What the hell are you doing to my bike?"

Naruto stared in surprise as Shikamaru stammered. He noticed Naruto looking at the wrench in his hand, and he hid it behind his back in a futile attempt to plead his innocence.

"Uhm.. I was... uh..."

The facts were taking a moment to process, so Naruto ran through them again. He parked his bike outside. The brainiac was staring at it with a worrying look in his eye. He had a wrench in his hand. He was a brainiac.

"YOU! You were going to hurt my baby! I'll KILL YOU!"

The Nara's eyes went wide and he threw the wrench on the ground, doing his best to avoid a fight.

"I wasn't! I swear! I just wanted to see how it worked. I've never seen anything so... so..."

"Weird?" One of the citizens offered.

"Dangerous?" Another threw out there.

"...beautiful."

Naruto stopped in his building of Force energy and just had a blank look on his face.

"Huh?"

Shikamaru seemed to throw off his confusion and replace it with that same fervor from a moment before. This time he didn't have a wrench in his hand though, so Naruto didn't mind as much.

"Yeah! The sleek design. The powerful engine. The propulsion device. I never in my wildest dreams imagined something so perfect was physically possible!"

Here he spun to Naruto and dropped to his knees in front of him, clasping his hands in a begging motion.

"Please! You have to let me study this beauty. I'll do anything! I'll give you all the money I have! I'll... I'll do your missions for you. I'll even spar with Ino! Just please..."

"You really want to study my technology that much?"

"Technology! You mean you have more than just this?"

Naruto's face split into a grin, and for the first time in recorded history, his ramen lay forgotten.

"Sheek, I have things you could only dream of. Tell you what. Why don't you follow me to my compound, and I'll let you have a look around?"

Naruto didn't have time to finish his sentence before the dark-haired genius was on the back of the hoverbike, trying to make it start.

"Come on already! We don't have all day. How do you make this thing go?"

Naruto shoved Shikamaru to the back of the bike and mounted the front so he could drive.

"You're going to want to hold on tight. It's got a bit of a kick."

He kicked the machine into gear, and it took Shikamaru almost falling off the back before he took him seriously. The rest of the trip was spent with the Nara enjoying the ride and trying to yell questions to Naruto over the roaring wind, which Naruto would answer to the best of his abilities. Some of the boy's queries were too in depth for him to understand though, and he made sure to introduce him to Kyle as soon as they got there.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Outside Compound -**

Naruto sped along the subdued path leading to his fortress while Shikamaru rode on the back still. As they came into view of the clearing and passed through the stealth field keeping it hidden, he heard the boy behind him gasp in surprise. Naruto slowed down the bike and made a lap around the pyramid to allow his guest to take in all of its majestic beauty. After the initial overview, Naruto parked the bike in the main garage where Kyle happened to be working on the HK-53 Droid.

"Hey Master Kyle, I have someone I want you to meet. This is Shika-... Sheek? Dammit, where'd that guy go?"

"I don't believe it! I honestly never thought this sort of thing was possible."

The words came from a stack of rubble and left over Droid parts, where Shikamaru was staring at, still in his fervor.

"R-ight, anyway. Like I was saying, this is Shikamaru. He's one of the Genin that passed along with my team. He's pretty lazy, but he's also extremely intelligent. I think you might be able to teach him a few things. What do you think?"

Kyle stood upright from his kneeling position and wiped his hands on a ragged once-white towel, leaving black grease streaks. The movement pulled Shikamaru from his examination, and his eyes widened at the sheer size and power from the man. Kyle easily stood at least three inches taller than Asuma, and despite the friendly smile he had a sense of being able to crush a boulder just because it was in his way.

"Well he doesn't look like much, but neither did you at first, so I guess I can give him a shot. What do you think kid? By the way, my name's Kyle. Kyle Katarn."

"I'm Nara Shikamaru. Are you one of the 'Masters' Naruto has mentioned here and there?"

Kyle's eyes gleamed and he turned to Naruto with a grin.

"He's mentioned us, huh? Well don't I feel just all light and bubbly. I had hoped he was going to start introducing us to his friends, but I never dreamed he would bring so many home so soon!"

Naruto just rubbed his face and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'idiot'. Kyle laughed it off and turned back to Shikamaru only to find him examining the insides of the -53, which was still standing motionless.

"What... what _is_ this thing? I've never seen anything like it."

"Well, the exact definition of a Droid is a mechanical being with a self-aware consciousness, as distinguished from a computer by having a self-contained method of locomotion."

"So they're machines that can think and move for themselves?"

Kyle just stared at Shikamaru for a moment. He really hadn't expected the kid to catch on like that, instead opting to impress him with his knowledge. Turns out he was going to have to crank it up a notch.

"Exactly. Droids can be designed for a variety of different uses, all of which are very useful. This one specifically was meant for assassination and combat, though I am having a bit of trouble getting him working right. He's a prototype and actually pretty advanced."

Shikamaru stared at the intricacies of the machine for a moment before turning to look hopefully at Kyle, with stars in his eyes.

"Can... can you teach me?"

Kyle winced for a moment at the intensity of the look before turning away.

"Alright, fine! So long as you _never_ make that face again. Ever."

"DEAL! So what do you want me to do first?"

Kyle finished wiping his hands once more, then led Shikamaru by the shoulder towards one of his offices.

"First I'm going to show you a couple of old field manuals I have. Those'll get you up to speed on the basics. From there I'll teach you some of the finer points on working with engines in general. You're still pretty far from being able to tinker with anything as precise as -53 over there."

For the first time in more than he could remember, Shikamaru grinned in excitement. Naruto watched the pair leave and for just a moment, he considered the possible ramifications of what he had just allowed to happen...

"Hey! I never got to eat my ramen!"

**XxXxXxX**

**- Konoha Streets : Choji **/_Three Days Later_** -**

"So you haven't seen him lately?"

The old man thought for a moment before shaking his head sadly.

"Sorry, but I haven't seen him since you and your team finished working on my garden the other day. Why? Is he missing?"

"Yeah. No one has seen him for the last couple of days. We're starting to get worried. He has never been gone for so long before. A couple of hours here and there, sure, but never for days straight. Even his dad is out looking for him at this point."

The old man patted Choji on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Well don't worry. I'm sure he'll show up sooner or later."

The young Akimichi thanked the man and left the small store. He had been wandering through Konoha for the last couple of hours looking for his best friend, who had disappeared without a trace. He tore open a fresh bag of potato chips to help him focus. It just didn't make sense. Shikamaru had never been gone for this long before. He feared the wrath of his mother too much to even consider it an option before now. So where could he be?

He was torn from his thoughts by a wave of whispers from the people he was sharing the main street with. From the direction of the training grounds, a figure was making his way towards the clan compounds. He was slightly taller than Choji, had his black hair pulled straight up, and looked a lot like...

"Shikamaru!"

Choji closed the bag and slid it into a pouch before running to meet his best friend. Upon closer inspection it looked like the Nara heir had been awake for the entire time he was gone, judging by his disheveled appearance and zoned out expression. Despite that, he had a look of manic excitement on his visage that reminded the chubby boy of some of his more enthusiastic clan members when a new restaurant opened up in town.

"Hey Shikamaru! Where have you been man? We were worried about you."

He either didn't hear him, or just ignored him outright. Either way, the lazy genius didn't respond or slow his pace, refusing to be distracted from whatever mission he was on.

"Your mom is furious man. Even your dad got mine and Ino's dad together to go looking for you."

Again, Shikamaru wasn't deterred or slowed in the least. The process repeated itself until they arrived at the Nara compound, and Choji decided to stop asking questions and just follow his best friend to make sure he didn't just disappear again. He had never seen his friend like this before, and he wasn't about to just leave him to whatever devices where fascinating him.

Their trip continued through the streets with Shikamaru ignoring any greetings from his family and the other members of his clan. They finally stopped just outside the restricted building where the records of all of technology in Konoha were kept. Anything of historical value that was too delicate to be left in public places were placed here for their safety and well being. After the Uchiha Incident, anyway.

The guard standing watch cocked an eyebrow as Shikamaru approached.

"Hey, I thought you had disappeared? What happened to you man? Your mother has been keeping us all awake at unholy hours trying to make us find you. We figured you would just show up, but you know women. So what are you doing here?"

Shikamaru showed no sign of hearing his questions, just stood there with that same look on his face.

"Breaching the Yugara Castle."

The guard looked down at him with a strange look.

"And when you have the king in your grasp?"

"Let him go. It would be a drag to capture him."

The guard watched him closely for a moment before shrugging and pressing his hands into a hand seal. His shadow then stretched out from behind him and through a crevice in the side of the wall. After a moment of silence, the doors of the building shifted slightly, showing them to be unlocked.

"I don't know what you want with the records, but it is your right as Clan-heir. Your visit has been logged, and will be brought up with Shikaku-san."

Shikamaru nodded and wandered inside. Choji made to follow him, but he was stopped by the guard.

"Sorry little dude. Only people with authorization are allowed inside."

"Uhh... Breaching the Yugara Castle?"

The guard grinned and leaned back on the wall, popping a cigarette in his mouth.

"Yeaaaa-, no. Good try though."

Choji shrugged and reopened his bag of chips, choosing to wait until Shikamaru returned. Finally after what seemed like twenty minutes his friend exited the building with a handful of scrolls in his possession. The fire in his eyes was burning brighter than ever, but for the first time he looked directly at Choji and frowned.

"Choji? What are you doing here?"

"WHAT! What am I doing here? I've been following you around since you finally show back up after _three days_, and that's the most you can say to me? What the hell is wrong with you man?"

Shikamaru shook his head and started jogging back in the direction he came.

"Come on! I have something to show you. It's why I've been gone for so long. I've never seen anything so awesome in my life!"

Choji looked back at the guard, who at this point had dropped his cigarette in shock at the heir being so worked up over... well, _anything_. The round boy just shrugged in response and started running to catch up to Shikamaru before he got too far away. Whatever it was, it had to be good. The guard watched them leave before looking down at his dropped cigarette and pouting at the waste.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Outside Naruto's Compound : Choji & Shikamaru -**

"So what am I looking at?"

Shikamaru sighed at his friend's impatience and readjusted the heap of scrolls in his arms.

"Just follow me, and don't blink or you'll miss it. You're going to love this."

Shortly after he said that, the pair walked through the stealth field being generated by the compound, revealing the pyramid structure in all of its glory. Shikamaru looked back at Choji and grinned at the look of shock. Much like his own had been, he assumed. No wonder Naruto had cracked up when they arrived.

"What- what is this place?"

"This is Naruto's new place. The one his team has mentioned him going on about? Turns out they haven't actually been here yet, but Naruto brought me here... what did you say it was? Three days ago? Well at first I just saw him riding this big... majestic... beautiful... machine."

Choji saw him trail off and got that look back in his eye again, so he nudged him with an elbow. Shikamaru jerked as though waking up, and continued with his sentence without missing a beat.

"Well he went into the ramen stand that he loves right? So I just wanted to get a closer look, and when I saw the design and how powerful it must have been, I just wanted to take it apart to see how it worked. Naruto caught me about to take a wrench to it, and I thought he was pissed, but he agreed to bring me here! I met his master, and the Droids, and the weapons and machines, and then Kyle said he would teach me, and- "

Choji stared at his oldest friend, wide-eyed. He sounded like Naruto used to back in the academy after he had shared some suger-coated candy with him. His words were coming out too fast to understand, and that manic gleam was back. For the first time in a while, Choji wondered if his friend was going to be okay.

"-and now here we are!"

Before Choji could even register what all Shikamaru had just said, he was dragged over to a small garage, where a spare hoverbike was parked, in a state of disrepair with parts lying all over the place. Over to one side of the building, a door slid open and Kyle walked in, dangling a piece of plastic with six circle holes from one finger.

"Hey Sheek, did you drink all of my Wired?"

The boy spun around to face his new mentor and shrugged.

"Idon'tknow,maybe. ?"

Kyle just stared in shock at how fast he was speaking before rolling his eyes.

"Yes. Yes they were. When did you drink them?"

Shikamaru made a show of thinking it over before shrugging.

"Idon'tknow, ,butIdon'tknowwhen."

"That was two days ago! And let me guess, you drank them all in one go, right? Have you even slept since then?"

Before he could get a reply, Kyle reached out with the Force and used it to slow him down to manageable levels, as well as perform a quick diagnostic to ensure that he wasn't about to collapse from OD'ing on taurine, caffeine, and god knows what else.

"Well you see, I was reading through the manuals and disassembling the bike like you told me to. Well before to long I started getting kinda thirsty, so I went through that little mini-fridge of yours."

"My stash! You went through my stash!" Shikamaru just shrugged innocently.

"You never told me not to."

"There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no emotion, there is peace."

Choji chuckled as the man rubbed his forehead, muttering some kind of mantra under his breath. He calmed down pretty quick, and Shikamaru seemed to be toying around with his slowed state, making a variety of ridiculous faces while staring at a mirror. It would be worrying if it wasn't so funny. Finally Kyle calmed down enough to talk to Shikamaru without throttling him.

"Alright, look. One, don't touch my stash. EVER. If you are thirsty or something, hit up one of the Droids. They'll show you where to go. Two, go easy on the energy drinks. We have plenty, but I'm not sure how many of them you can handle before you, oh I don't know, DIE!"

Shikamaru stopped playing with fingers for long enough to nod seriously. Deciding that that was probably the best he was going to get out of boy in that condition, he turned to Choji.

"Sorry about all that. You must be Choji, right?"

"Yes, sir. How do you know my name?"

Kyle walked over to him and dropped down onto a metal crate, kicking his feet up on the back end of the hoverbike, which was propped up with what looked like cinder blocks.

"Sheek here talked about you incessantly while I was teaching him about engines. I hear you guys have some pretty interesting abilities. Revolve around food, right?"

"You mean our jutsu? Not food, just changing the size of our mass."

"No, I knew you guys could do that. I was talking about your pills. You guys have made ways of doing incredible stuff with your pills, right?"

"Oh, right. Yeah, my clan were actually the original creators of Soldier Pills that Konoha uses."

Kyle nodded and leaned back, crossing his hands behind his head.

"It's pretty amazing the stuff you guys have figured out how to do with your Chakra. Shooting fireballs from your mouth, catching people in your shadows... crazy."

"You're one of Naruto's Masters, right?"

"Yup! Taught him damn near everything he knows. Well, half of it at least. Well technically... whatever. Yes, I am. Kyle, Kyle Katarn. Should have introduced myself earlier, I'm sorry. Living around robots and Bane has fried my manners. Speaking of which, I'm starting to get hungry. You want to come with? I happen to know a great chef.

"You're offering me food?"

"Uh-huh."

"For free?"

"That's right... why?"

The boy didn't reply, instead he only turned his back and wiped furiously at his face as though he had something in his eye. Kyle chalked it up to some 'ninja-thing' and called out to his non-jedi apprentice.

"Hey Sheek! What about you? Want to grab a bite to eat?"

Said boy turned to face him with his arms drawn back into his sleeves, and a wrench and screwdriver poking out.

"Check it out! I'm a Droid!"

Kyle rubbed his forehead again and led Choji out with Shikamaru tripping over stuff trying to keep up.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Cafeteria : Naruto & HK-47-**

Naruto was on his way to the cafeteria to get some lunch after a long day of training with Bane. Over the last couple of days the Sith Lord had been teaching Naruto everything he could about gathering, maintaining, and utilizing an army effectively. Historical references, strategies, personal revelations; the man was sparing no details.

After today's lesson, Naruto had really started thinking about how little he knew about the people he could possibly bring with him. This was where HK came in.

"Do you understand the assignment?"

"**Reiteration: **Yes, Master. I am to wait until tonight and under the cover of darkness, I am to infiltrate the Shinobi records within the Hokage Tower. I am to target the records of the 'Konoha Twelve' and download as much as I can before getting caught."

"Right. After that I want you to bring the information back to me."

"**Query: **What do you plan to do with them?"

Naruto frowned as he glanced at his first follower, and right hand.

"Are you questioning my orders?"

"**Horrified** No Master! I just-..."

"If I thought you needed to know, I would tell you. Don't make it a habit, okay?"

"**Acknowledgment: **Yes, Master."

HK-47 watched as his Master walked away before hurrying away to complete his task. The Master was reasonable much of the time, but he had no tolerance for failure.

Naruto meanwhile, was surprised to see not only Shikamaru and Kyle in the cafeteria, but also a familiar chubby boy of the same age.

"Choji? What are you doing here?"

The Akimichi looked up from his enthusiastic meal to grin happily.

"Hey Naruto! I saw Shikamaru in town today after he disappeared for a few days and I followed him. We ended up here and I met one of your Masters."

Kyle was sipping at a bottle of something that looked like beer, while Shikamaru was cradling his head and moaning softly about a headache. Naruto meanwhile, didn't seem too pleased about Choji's presence, making Kyle perk up and start paying attention.

"Really? The guards just let you in?"

"Well... yeah. I mean, I didn't see a single guard on my way here."

Naruto frowned and made a mental note to have a word with the HK-50s. A total stranger had waltzed right in like he owns the place, and they didn't even notice? What the fuck!

Choji noticed the look Naruto's face, and wondered if maybe he wasn't supposed to be here after all.

"If I had known that it was private or something, I wouldn't have come in without you knowing. I just saw Shikamaru going in and out, and thought you were..."

Naruto ran his fingers through his hair and bit back a groan.

"That's right, you did. And you were just able to walk right in without anyone checking you first. That means anyone can do it. Including enemies or someone who wants to steal my shit."

Kyle sat up at that, unhappy with Naruto's comments.

"Hey, relax man. Me and Bane will be able to sense if someone with malicious intent crosses the shield. We _have_ been here for a couple of months after all. You think we wouldn't have a system for this?"

"That's not the point! The point is that Choji was able to wander onto the premises simply because he was tagging along with Shikamaru, who was allowed to wander in and out with no one to check them."

Choji put down his fork and pushed the plate away from him, his appetite lost.

"Look, I'm sorry if I upset you. Like I said, if I had known it would be a problem, I wouldn't have come."

As he stood up to leave, Shikamaru lifted his head for the first time.

"Naruto, you're being troublesome, and that's not worth it for me. Even with all the awesome tech you guys have access to. If you are going to make Choji leave for something like this, I'm going with him. And I'm not going to come back."

Naruto grumbled for a minute before sitting down.

"I'm not mad about Choji being here, alright? That's no big deal and if you vouched for him, I would have let him in anyway. I'm just pissed that he was _able_ to get in so easily. He should have been stopped and brought to either me, Kyle, or Bane."

Kyle looked between the three, and when the hostility had filtered out of the air, he grinned and raised his glass in the air.

"Well, now that that's all sorted out, can we be friends again?"

The lazy genius mumbled something in response and dropped his head back on the table. Naruto looked to Choji in surprise.

"Actually, what's up with Shikamaru? He doesn't look so good."

"Apparently he had something called an 'energy drink', and he is feeling the after-effects. You should have seen him about twenty minutes ago. I've never seen him so..."

"Hyper?" Kyle offered helpfully.

"I was going to say energetic, but that works too."

Shikamaru made a noise that sounded a little like a whimper before falling silent.

"Yeah, those things can really catch up to you if you aren't expecting it. How many did he have?"

Choji looked at Kyle, who held up five fingers.

"Five? Geez..."

"Yeah, I know. From what I've been able to gather, he drank them almost two days ago and hasn't slept since. Dude is such a lightweight its not even funny... No wait, its hilarious!"

Shikamaru made an obscene gesture with one hand lazily, and Kyle laughed, pushed him out of his chair to land in a crumpled heap, and laughed again.

"Anyway, its good to have you around Choji. Things have been pretty quite for the last couple of months, and its good to have company. You're free to come by whenever you want, even if Shikamaru isn't here. The Droid's will give you a guided tour later on if you want."

Choji thought about it for a moment before shaking his head.

"Nah, I think I've seen all I need to." He grinned before attacking the fresh plate of food that had just been provided, courtesy of the Droid from the kitchen.

Naruto took the opportunity to make his request to the Droid for some of his own before Choji took to obliterating their entire stock.

**XxXxXxX**

**- Konoha Training Ground : Naruto **/_Two days later_** -**

Naruto wandered through the various training grounds looking for someone in particular. After HK-47 returned with the documents he requested, he had spent the next day going over everything in an attempt to find out who would be the best candidates for him to take with him during his... defection. He didn't really want to have to phrase it like that, but that was essentially what it came down to.

After careful reflection, he had a basic idea of who to bring with him. Shikamaru would be a valuable asset. Especially since he was such a natural when it came to machines and technology. The guy was soaking up everything Kyle would teach him, and come back for more. It was like he was a machine himself, he never stopped. Choji was almost certainly a given, as he was practically never seen without Shikamaru, or vice versa. If he could be convinced to share some of his clans knowledge of soldier pills and medicinal applications, he would prove to be useful as well.

Besides those two, Naruto had found some rather interesting details on a few of his fellow Genin that he didn't know. Rock Lee, the enthusiastic student and apprentice of Maito Gai, had caught the attention of HK while he was copying the records. Enough so that after he was finished downloading what he could, the Droid did some background checking to come up with some appealing results. His medical records, physical type, even his cellular signs pointed to him being a descendant of an _old_ companion of HK-47. Canderous Ordo. Who would have guessed that that friendly little spaz would be a Mandalorian? Funny how these things happen. Now Naruto just had to find a way to convince him to leave his home, his team, and his mentor behind. And maybe that jumpsuit too, if he could manage it...

Another person that caught his eye was a daughter of a blacksmith who ran one of the more popular Shinobi supply stores in Konoha. Her name was Tenten and she was the teammate of Lee. To maybe to her being raised around weapons, and perhaps because it is easier to harm someone with a chunk of metal than your bare hands, she had taken a liking to weapons at a young age, and had devoted herself to becoming a weapons mistress. He wasn't totally sure what he would have her do in his army, but a person with such a talent with weapons of all kinds was just too good to pass up. He would have to have someone teach his army how to fight, maybe. Between her and her teammate he was sure to have some powerful warriors emerging to fight for him. May the Force have mercy on their souls...

Shino, the quiet Aburame, had scored second in his class when it came to strategic planning and had a great mind for details. Combined with his mindset and the natural loyalty of the Aburame 'hive-mind' mentality, he had the potential to be a great general. This was going to be tricky, as Naruto wasn't exactly sure what made him tick. Initially Naruto had passed over him in his choices, but as he slept he had a vision that he was pretty sure involved Shino. Even if Shino refused to follow him, Naruto felt it was his duty to warn him.

He was actually who Naruto was out trying to find at the moment, as Meizu had informed him that he often frequented this training ground. Chosen for its solitude, naturally. If the information was accurate, the boy should be arriving right about...

"Kiba, for the last time. I have a technique I wish to practice in private. Without my clan or _you_ from seeing it."

"Aw come on man! We're your teammates. Besides, Akamaru wants to know what you've been working on that is such a secret."

The little dog riding on Kiba's head barked in agreement.

"I will show you when it is done, and not before. Now leave before I set my Kikaichu on you."

The Inuzuka winced, having been subjected to the technique before and knowing exactly what it was like.

"Alrght, alright. Damn, you don't have to be so secretive all the time. We're on the same side ya know. Kurenai-sensei said we are supposed to meet up tomorrow morning at the usual time. I'll see you then."

Shino didn't reply to that, but Kiba didn't expect him to, having already turned to leave. Akamaru yipped a goodbye, and Kiba waved without turning around. When the two disappeared into the trees, Shino turned to where Naruto was standing.

"I'm assuming it was you that told that Mist-nin to shadow me?"

Naruto stepped out from the tree into the open. They were classmates and everything, but he still didn't want to look like a threat. While he wasn't particularly sure what effect an Aburame's destruction bugs would have on him, he had no intention of finding out if he didn't have to.

"Yeah, actually. How did you know about that?"

Shino was silent for a moment before answering.

"Even if you didn't have slight traces of his scent on him, this is an out of the way training area. The chances of two people just happening to find it within a few days of each other are remote."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to spy on you to be mean about anything, or try to steal any techniques. I just wanted to learn more about you and your team."

While he made no physical motion to indicate it, Naruto could almost _sense_ his doubt.

"And so you ordered someone to follow me without revealing themselves? You have a strange way of meeting people, Naruto."

Naruto laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, they were also hanging around my place and screwing around with nothing to do. I told them to do that just partially so they wouldn't be breathing down my neck while I'm trying to get work done. I'm guessing you would know something about that, huh?'

"Indeed..."

Unsure of what to say after that, the pair stood in a semi-awkward silence for a few minutes before Shino prompted him on.

"I'm assuming you have a purpose for coming here?"

Naruto wasn't exactly sure how to broach the subject in a roundabout way, and he doubted that Shino would appreciate it if he could, so he decided to just come out with it. He dropped the friendly small talk and got serious.

"Yes, I did. I know you have no particular reason to trust me, but I am here to make you an offer. At some point in coming times, and due to circumstances out of my control, I am going to be forced to leave Konoha. There are a few people that I will be taking with me to Ruusan, and they will all serve a purpose in its rise to power."

Shino made no motion to stop him, so Naruto continued.

"Once, a long time ago, there were two great civilizations..."

The story didn't take long to recount, and Shino made for a decent audience. He never interrupted, though he asked a question here and there to clarify points. When he was done, Naruto made his offer.

"Assuming this is all true of course, you want me to join you when you leave the village in order to recreate a village that combines the qualities of both the Jedi and the Sith?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"I don't understand your logic."

Naruto frowned at that, having not expecting that kind of response.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it doesn't make sense. Why would you come to me with this? We have had practically no association. You don't know me and I don't know you. I admit that you seem to be of much better character than during the academy and I have heard the rumors of the change, but that doesn't make us best friends. Furthermore, I don't know why you would expect me to leave my clan, team, and village."

Naruto was uncharacteristically silent for a moment.

"Because they are going to leave you."

Shino said nothing, waiting for him to elaborate.

"You probably don't know this, and I try not to make it common knowledge, but you deserve to know. Ever since my change and I truly began learning what power I command, I have been having... visions. They are like dreams, but of things yet to come. Most of them are fleeting and pointless, quickly forgotten. But I have had a few that were different from the rest. Two, to be exact. The first was of a young boy, losing his mother. I had thought I was the young boy in the vision, but I was wrong. My mistake cost a young boy his mother's life, leaving him under the care of his grandfather."

"Why are you telling me this?"

While Shino's face and voice betrayed nothing, a faint buzzing could be heard from under his coat.

"Because I think the second one is of you. I wouldn't come to you if I wasn't sure. I saw-..."

"Wait."

While the word wasn't spoken loudly, it still silenced Naruto. As far as he knew, Shino never interrupted anyone. The Aburame persisted before he could ask though.

"Such visions, as you call them, are illogical to place faith in. You said so yourself, that they are imperfect and easily mistaken. You have been wrong before, and you are likely wrong now. I have much to accomplish in the coming weeks, and I cannot afford to be distracted by your cryptic words of warning. I appreciate your action, but I do not need them."

Naruto nodded, eyes hiding some unspoken emotion.

"I thought you might say that, and I will respect your wish. But still..."

He drew an envelope out of his back pocket and offered it to the boy.

"If I'm wrong, and I hope I am, then you will never need to open this if you don't want to. You can throw it to the side and forget about I. But if I'm right, I want you to open it. So you will understand why I came to you when I did, and know that I can offer you what you crave."

Shino simply stared at Naruto for a moment, examining him. After a short eternity, he reached out and accepted the envelope, placing it in a pocket on the inside of his jacket.

"Very well. I will keep this in mind."

With that the somber atmosphere was lifted, and Naruto grinned. He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and turned away, laughing in embarrassment.

"But yeah, like I said. I could be wrong, and I really hope I am. Either way, I'm sorry for interrupting your training. I'll get out of your hair now."

The blond took off running, and before Shino could think of anything to say to him, he was gone. Shino watched the sun sink below the horizon, thinking about the enigmatic blond and the envelope in his pocket. Surely it was nothing, but only time would tell. But the question is, how would he know if Naruto's prediction was correct?

**XxXxXxX**

**- ? -**

A tall, cloaked figure watched as another faced off against a fresh wave of HK-50 Droids, each armed with stun rods. With an enraged roar, the second and more heavily built of the two hefted his massive sword in two hands and in a show of sheer brute strength, cut through three of the machines at once. The momentum of his swing left him off balance, and another of the Droids was able to dart in behind him and jab him with it's rod.

The resulting electrical discharge sent the figure to his knees, and the first raised a hand as the rest of the Droid's fell upon the fallen, ready to finish him off. The Droids halted instantly and backed away, standing at rigid attention and watching the fallen's muscles spasm.

"You are still slow. Your movements are not fluid. Were you in a real fight, you would have died... again. I expected more from you when I saved your life."

The second figure was unsatisfied with the statement, and growled fiercely while trying to force his body to be still.

"Well maybe I would be better if I wasn't trying to move with this goddamn metal piece of shit you put where my arm used to be!"

"Would you fight better had I left it as an oozing socket? Your arm is beyond hope, I have told you this. Be thankful you are of more use to me with two functioning arms. Now, again."

The fighter cursed loudly as the -50's descended upon him once more, and he proceeded to fight them off as well as he could with the foreign appendage that replaced his once perfect arm. Still, it was better than nothing... Possibly better than his real arm was, assuming he ever got used to the damn thing.

* * *

_A/N : Well, I finally got around to finishing the chapter, though the minute I did, dot net started acting up, so I had to wait a while before posting. Pissed me off, but what can you do?_

_What could Naruto have seen to worry him enough to approach Shino? Will he be able to convince two of the three members of Team Gai to join him when he leaves? What kind of crap will Shikamaru invent, now that he knows how to do it? I guess you'll find out when I do._

_As always, feel free to bask in my glow. Oh, and spread the word. I want fame and fortune, and since I'm not getting paid for writing this crap, I'll settle for twice as much fame!_

_Next up will be a chapter of Nulla Gratia... maybe._

Stay Frosty...  
- Nikolai


	16. Important Notice

To my Readers...

Well, here we are once again. Time for an update has _long_ passed, and I have finally made up my mind on what to do. Reading through the reviews time and time again, as well as my own work, I have found the many flaws within my writing. Both grammatical and creative. In fact, my very first chapter makes me cringe just thinking about it. Many great authors undergo a renovation after they have gone a certain amount of time, and I am glad to say that I too shall go through the same process.

I will be rewriting 'A New Order'. There will be substantial changes, and I hope it will flow much more smoothly as well as address many concerns a lot of you have had. To those who posted the anonymous reviews that I was unable to respond to, I thank you. You are all very correct on many points, and I only wish you had deemed fit to sign into a profile so I could have a conversation with you about them. As it is, I will read them all once more, find out what people liked and didn't like, and I will take them under all due consideration when I begin my rewrite. I only hope you will give my work another chance to impress. After all, I aim to please.

Now does this mean that I am going to delete 'A New Order'? No. In fact, quite the opposite. Not only am I going to leave it up as it is, I may even go back to it after some time and continue with the story I have progressing now. For a first major project, I am very pleased with how it came out, despite everything.

Once again, I hope you have patience with me. I am going to try to reenter the flow of writing here shortly, though certain events have been keeping writing rather low on my list of priorities. Rest assured however, that I _will_ continue writing. It might just take me longer than I would like, is all. Regardless, my efforts have not ceased and updates will come sooner or later.

Thank you for your patience and your attention. My new work will be posted before too long, under the same category and pseudonym. It will probably be under a different title though, but I'm sure you will be able to figure out what it is.

Stay Frosty...

Nik0laiCarpathia

P.S. To the person with the name 'Nikolai Carpathia'... Come on! I'll trade you! I hate having to type that stupid zero.


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